E's in food: What are E's and what are their functions? List in the table
So-called "E's", i.e. ingredients marked with the letter E and a specific number, are the designation for food additives. These are preservatives, colourings, sweeteners and other excipients.
The letters "E" in food stand for excipients. The European Union created this labelling. It has standardised these codes for all countries to simplify the labelling of food additives.
These additives are listed in the Codex Alimentarius and can be found on food packaging. The labelling takes the form of the letter E with a specific number assigned according to the registration in the European Union.
According to the label, substances are divided into colours, sweeteners, carriers, emulsifiers, preservatives and antioxidants, other additives and excipients.
They must be indicated on each package in accordance with the Regulation.
Most of the time they are not harmful and help the food. There are also natural or nature-identical substances. However, there are also harmful and unauthorised substances.
Code | Name |
E100 | Curcumin |
E101 | Riboflavin |
E102 | Tartrazine |
E104 | Quinoline yellow |
E107 | Yellow 2G |
E110 | Yellow FCF - SY, orange-yellow S |
E120 | Carminic acid |
E121 | Lemon Red 2 |
E122 | Azorubine |
E123 | Amaranth |
E124 | Ponceau 4R - cochineal red A |
E127 | Erythrosine |
E128 | Erythrin 2G |
E129 | June Allura AC |
E131 | Patent Blue V |
E132 | Indigotin - indigo carmine |
E133 | Brilliant Blue FCF |
E140 | Chlorophylls, chlorophyllins |
E141 | Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins |
E142 | Foliage S |
E150a | Simple caramel (Kuler) |
E150b | Caustic sulphite caramel |
E150c | Ammonia caramel |
E150d | Ammonia sulphite caramel |
E151 | Black BN |
E153 | Carbon from vegetable raw material |
E154 | Brown FK |
E155 | Brown HT |
E160a | Carotenes: mixed carotenes, beta-carotene |
E160b | Annatto - bixin, norbixin |
E160c | Pepper extracts - capsanthin, capsorubin |
E160d | Lycopene |
E160e | Beta-apo-8-carotenal |
E160f | Beta-apo-8'-carotenoic acid ethyl ester |
E161a | Flavoxanthin |
E161b | Lutein |
E161g | Canthaxanthin |
E162 | Beetroot dye - betanin |
E163 | Anthocyanins obtained by physical processes from fruits and vegetables |
E170 | Calcium carbonate |
E171 | Titanium dioxide |
E172 | Iron oxides and hydroxides |
E173 | Aluminium - in pigment form |
E174 | Silver - in pigment form |
E175 | Gold - in the form of pigment |
E180 | Litholrubin BK |
E200 | Sorbic acid |
E202 | Potassium sorbate |
E203 | Calcium sorbate |
E210 | Benzoic acid |
E211 | Sodium benzoate |
E212 | Potassium benzoate |
E213 | Calcium benzoate |
E214 | Ethylparahydroxybenzoate |
E215 | Ethylparahydroxybenzoate sodium salt |
E218 | Methylparahydroxybenzoate |
E219 | Methylparahydroxybenzoate sodium salt |
E220 | Sulphur dioxide |
E221 | Sodium sulphite |
E222 | Sodium hydrogen sulphite |
E223 | Sodium disulphite |
E224 | Potassium disulphite |
E225 | Potassium sulphite |
E226 | Calcium sulphite |
E227 | Calcium hydrogen sulphite |
E228 | Potassium hydrogen sulphite |
E234 | Nisin |
E235 | Natamycin |
E239 | Hexamethylenetetramine |
E242 | Dimethyldicarbonate |
E249 | Potassium nitrite |
E250 | Sodium nitrite |
E251 | Sodium nitrate |
E252 | Potassium nitrate |
E260 | Acetic acid |
E261 | Potassium acetate |
E262 | Sodium acetates |
E263 | Calcium acetate |
E270 | Lactic acid |
E280 | Propionic acid |
E281 | Sodium propionate |
E282 | Calcium propionate |
E283 | Potassium propionate |
E284 | Boric acid |
E285 | Sodium tetraborate |
E290 | Carbon dioxide |
E296 | Malic acid |
E297 | Fumaric acid |
E300 | Ascorbic acid |
E301 | Sodium ascorbate |
E302 | Calcium ascorbate |
E304 | Fatty acid esters with ascorbic acid |
E306 | Extract containing tocopherols |
E307 | Alpha-tocopherol |
E308 | Gamma-tocopherol |
E309 | Delta-tocopherol |
E310 | Propyl gallate |
E311 | Octyl gallate |
E312 | Dodecyl gallate |
E315 | Erythorbic acid |
E316 | Sodium erythorbate |
E319 | Tertiary butylhydroquinone |
E320 | Butylhydroxyanisole |
E321 | Butylhydroxytoluene |
E322 | Lecithins |
E325 | Sodium lactate |
E326 | Potassium lactate |
E327 | Calcium lactate |
E330 | Citric acid |
E331 | Sodium citrates |
E332 | Potassium citrates |
E333 | Calcium citrates |
E334 | Tartaric acid |
E335 | Sodium tartrates |
E336 | Potassium tartrates |
E337 | Sodium potassium tartrate |
E338 | Phosphoric acid |
E339 | Sodium phosphates |
E340 | Potassium phosphates |
E341 | Calcium phosphates |
E343 | Magnesium phosphates |
E350 | Sodium malate |
E351 | Potassium malate |
E352 | Calcium malate |
E353 | Metavinic acid |
E354 | L+- calcium tartrate |
E355 | Adipic acid |
E356 | Sodium adipate |
E357 | Potassium adipate |
E363 | Succinic acid |
E380 | Triammonium citrate |
E385 | Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate |
E392 | Rosemary extracts |
E400 | Alginic acid |
E401 | Sodium alginate |
E402 | Potassium alginate |
E403 | Ammonium alginate |
E404 | Calcium alginate |
E405 | Propylene glycol alginate |
E406 | Agar |
E407 | Carrageenan |
E407a | Euchema gum |
E410 | Carubin |
E412 | Guar gum |
E413 | Tragant |
E414 | Gum Arabic |
E415 | Xanthan |
E416 | Karaya gum |
E417 | Tara gum |
E418 | Gellan gum |
E420 | Sorbitol |
E421 | Mannitol |
E422 | Glycerol |
E425 | Cognac gum |
E426 | Soya hemicellulose |
E427 | Cassia gum |
E431 | Polyoxyethylene stearate |
E432 | Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate |
E433 | Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate |
E434 | Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate |
E435 | Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate |
E436 | Polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate |
E440 | Pectins |
E442 | Ammonium phosphatides |
E444 | Sucrose isobutyrate acetate |
E445 | Resin ester |
E450 | Diphosphates |
E451 | Triphosphates |
E452 | Polyphosphates |
E459 | Beta-cyclodextrin |
E460 | Cellulose |
E461 | Methylcellulose |
E462 | Ethyl cellulose |
E463 | Hydroxypropyl cellulose |
E464 | Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose |
E465 | Ethylmethylcellulose |
E466 | Carboxymethylcellulose - syn. cellulose gum |
E468 | Cross-carmellose |
E469 | Enzymatically hydrolysed carboxymethylcellulose |
E470a | Sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids |
E470b | Magnesium salts of fatty acids |
E471 | Mono and diglycerides of fatty acids |
E472 | Esters of mono and diglycerides of fatty acids with acetic, lactic, citric, tartaric and acetyl tartaric acids; mixed esters of mono and diglycerides with acetic and tartaric acids |
E473 | Esters of sugars - esters of sucrose with fatty acids from edible fats |
E474 | Sucroglycerides |
E475 | Esters of polyglycerol with fatty acids |
E476 | Polyglycerol polyricinoleate |
E477 | Propylene glycol esters with fatty acids |
E479b | Soybean oil with fatty acid glycerides |
E481 | Sodium stearoyl lactate |
E482 | Calcium stearoyl lactate |
E483 | Stearyl tartrate |
E491 | Sorbitol monostearate |
E492 | Sorbitol tristearate |
E493 | Sorbitol monolaurate |
E494 | Sorbitol monooleate |
E495 | Sorbitol monopalmitate |
E500 | Sodium carbonates |
E501 | Potassium carbonates |
E503 | Ammonium carbonate |
E504 | Magnesium carbonates |
E507 | Hydrochloric acid |
E508 | Potassium chloride |
E509 | Calcium chloride |
E510 | Ammonium chloride |
E511 | Magnesium chloride |
E512 | Tin chloride |
E513 | Sulphuric acid |
E514 | Sodium sulphates |
E515 | Potassium sulphates |
E516 | Calcium sulphates |
E517 | Ammonium sulphate |
E518 | Magnesium sulphate |
E519 | |
E520 | Aluminium sulphate |
E521 | Sodium aluminium sulphate |
E522 | Potassium aluminium sulphate |
E523 | Ammonium aluminium sulphate |
E524 | Sodium hydroxide |
E525 | Potassium hydroxide |
E526 | Calcium hydroxide |
E527 | Ammonium hydroxide |
E528 | Magnesium hydroxide |
E529 | Calcium oxide |
E530 | Magnesium oxide |
E535 | Sodium ferrocyanide |
E536 | Potassium ferrocyanide |
E538 | Calcium ferrocyanide |
E540 | |
E541 | Sodium aluminium phosphate |
E543 | |
E544 | |
E545 | |
E546 | |
E551 | Silica |
E552 | Calcium silicate |
E553a | Magnesium silicate |
E553b | Talc |
E554 | Sodium aluminosilicate |
E555 | Potassium aluminosilicate |
E556 | Calcium aluminosilicate |
E558 | Aluminosilicate |
E559 | Aluminium silicate |
E570 | Fatty acids |
E572 | Magnesium stearate |
E574 | Gluconic acid |
E575 | Gluconolactone |
E576 | Sodium gluconate |
E577 | Potassium gluconate |
E578 | Calcium gluconate |
E579 | Ferrous gluconate |
E580 | |
E585 | Ferric lactate |
E586 | 4-Hexylresorcinol |
E620 | L-Glutamic acid |
E621 | Sodium L-glutamate |
E622 | Potassium glutamate |
E623 | Calcium glutamate |
E624 | Ammonium glutamate |
E625 | Magnesium glutamate |
E626 | Guanylic acid |
E627 | Sodium guanylate |
E628 | Potassium guanylate |
E629 | Calcium guanylate |
E630 | Inosinic acid |
E631 | Sodium inosinate |
E632 | Potassium inosinate |
E633 | Calcium inosinate |
E634 | Calcium ribonucleotides |
E635 | Disodium ribonucleotides |
E640 | Glycine and its sodium salt |
E641 | Leucine |
E642 | Lysine hydrochloride |
E650 | Zinc acetate |
E900 | Dimethylsilicone oil |
E901 | Beeswax |
E902 | Candelilla wax |
E903 | Carnauba wax |
E904 | Shellac |
E905 | Microcrystalline wax |
E907 | Hydrogenated poly-1-decene |
E912 | Montanic acid esters |
E914 | Oxidised polyethylene wax |
E917 | |
E920 | L-cysteine |
E921 | L-cystine |
E927b | Urea |
E938 | Argon |
E939 | Helium |
E941 | Nitrogen |
E942 | Nitrous oxide |
E943 | Butane, isobutane |
E944 | Propane |
E948 | Oxygen |
E949 | Hydrogen |
E950 | Acesulfame K |
E951 | Aspartame |
E952 | Cyclamates |
E953 | Isomalt |
E954 | Saccharin and its salts |
E955 | Sucralose |
E957 | Thaumatin |
E959 | Neohesperidin DC |
E960 | Steviol glycosides |
E961 | Neotame |
E962 | Aspartame-acesulfame salt |
E964 | |
E965 | Maltitol |
E966 | Lactitol |
E967 | Xylitol |
E968 | Erythritol |
E999 | Quillaja bark extract |
E1103 | Invertase |
E1105 | Lysozyme |
E1200 | Polydextrose |
E1201 | Polyvinylpyrrolidone |
E1202 | Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone |
E1203 | Polyvinyl alcohol |
E1204 | Pullulan |
E1205 | Basic methacrylate copolymer |
E1404 | Oxidised starch |
E1410 | Starch phosphate |
E1412 | Cross-linked starch phosphate |
E1413 | Cross-linked starch phosphate |
E1414 | Acetate of cross-linked starch phosphate |
E1420 | Starch acetate |
E1422 | Acetate of cross-linked starch adipate |
E1440 | Hydroxypropyl starch |
E1442 | Hydroxypropyl ether of cross-linked starch phosphate |
E1450 | Sodium salt of starch octenylsuccinate |
E1451 | Acetylated oxidised starch |
E1452 | Starch aluminium octenylsuccinate SAOS |
E1505 | Triethyl citrate |
E1517 | Glyceryl diacetate |
E1518 | Glyceryl triacetate |
E1519 | Benzyl alcohol |
E1520 | Propylene glycol (syn. Propanediol) |
E1521 | Polyethylene glycol |