E's in food: What are E's and what are their functions? List in the table

E's in food: What are E's and what are their functions? List in the table
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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
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