E numbers ("E" stands for "Europe") are codes for substances used as

food additive Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance, or other sensory qualities. Some additives have been used for centuries as part of an effort to preserve food, for example vinegar (pickling), salt (salt ...

s, including those found naturally in many foods such as vitamin C, for use within the European Union (EU) and

European Free Trade Association The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organization and free trade area consisting of four List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Europe, European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerlan ...

(EFTA). Commonly found on

food label The packaging and labeling of food is subject to regulation in most regions/jurisdictions, both to prevent false advertising and to promote food safety. Regulations by type Multi-faceted * Codex Alimentarius (international voluntary stand ...

s, their safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The fact that an additive has an E number implies that its use was at one time permitted in products for sale in the European Single Market; some of these additives are no longer allowed today. Having a single unified list for food additives was first agreed upon in 1962 with food colouring. In 1964, the directives for preservatives were added, in 1970 antioxidants were added, in 1974 emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners and gelling agents were added as well.

Numbering schemes

The numbering scheme follows that of the

International Numbering System The International Numbering System for Food Additives (INS) is a European-based naming system for food additives, aimed at providing a short designation of what may be a lengthy actual name."Class Names and the International Numbering System for F ...

(INS) as determined by the ''

Codex Alimentarius The Codex Alimentarius () is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines, and other recommendations published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations relating to food, food production ...

'' committee, though only a subset of the INS additives are approved for use in the European Union as food additives. Outside the European continent plus Russia, E numbers are also encountered on food labelling in other jurisdictions, including the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and India.

Colloquial use

In some European countries, the "E number" is used informally as a derogatory term for artificial food additives. For example, in the UK, food companies are required to include the ‘E Number(s)’ in the ingredients that are added as part of the manufacturing process. Many components of naturally occurring healthy foods and vitamins have assigned E numbers (and the number is a synonym for the chemical component), e.g. vitamin C ( E300) and lycopene ( E160d), found in

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...

Classification by numeric range

NB: Not all examples of a class fall into the given numeric range. Moreover, many chemicals, particularly in the E400–499 range, have a variety of purposes.

Full list

The list shows all components that have an E-number assigned, ''even those no longer allowed in the EU''.

E100–E199 (colours)

E200–E299 ( preservatives)

E300–E399 (
antioxidant Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricant ...
s,
acidity regulator Acidity regulators, or pH control agents, are food additives used to change or maintain pH (acidity or basicity). They can be organic or mineral acids, bases, neutralizing agents, or buffering agents. Typical agents include the following acids ...
s)

E400–E499 (
thickeners A thickening agent or thickener is a substance which can increase the viscosity of a liquid without substantially changing its other properties. Edible thickeners are commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings without altering their t ...
, stabilisers,
emulsifier An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Altho ...
s)

E500–E599 (
acidity regulator Acidity regulators, or pH control agents, are food additives used to change or maintain pH (acidity or basicity). They can be organic or mineral acids, bases, neutralizing agents, or buffering agents. Typical agents include the following acids ...
s, anti-caking agents)

E600–E699 ( flavour enhancer)

E700–E799 (antibiotics)

E900–E999 (
glazing agent A glazing agent is a natural or synthetic substance that provides a waxy, homogeneous, coating to prevent water loss from a surface and provide other protection. Natural Natural glazing agents keep moisture inside plants and insects. Scientists ...
s, gases and sweeteners)

E1000–E1599 (additional additives)

References

External links

Codex Alimentarius
the international foods standards, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1963 **See also their document
Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives
(Ref: CAC/GL #36 publ. 1989, revised 2009, amended 2011)

at the World Health Organization (WHO)
Food Additive Index
JECFA, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
E-codes and ingredients search engine with details/suggestions for Muslims

Food Safety, website of the European Union. Includes (a) Lists of authorised food additives (b) Food additives database
The Food Additives and Ingredients Association, FAIA website, UK.
{{DEFAULTSORT:E Number Chemical numbering schemes Chemistry-related lists Food additives European Union food law 1962 introductions Number-related lists