E-Numbers List — Food Additives (E100–E1520)
Search any food additive by name or code (E100–E1520). See what it is, its risk level, and whether it's banned or restricted in the EU or US.
E-numbers are standardized codes for food additives approved in the EU (the "E" is for Europe). The number signals the category — E100s are colors, E200s preservatives, E300s antioxidants, E400s thickeners, and so on — not the danger. Many are harmless natural substances (E300 is vitamin C). A minority are banned or warning-labeled, and those differ between the EU and US. Use the search below to look up any code, then scan a label to see which ones a product actually contains.
Showing 85 of 85 additives
This list covers the food additives consumers most commonly encounter and search for. Regulatory status changes; entries reflect published EU (EFSA) and US (FDA) positions as of July 2026 and are provided for general education, not as medical or legal advice. When in doubt, check the current EFSA and FDA databases.
What the number ranges mean
The first digit tells you the additive's job, not how dangerous it is. Adding an E-number in one band does a different job from adding one in another:
- E100–E199 — Color additives change how food looks. They do not preserve, thicken, or sweeten. Manufacturers add them so a drink, candy, or sauce matches the color shoppers expect.
- E200–E299 — Preservatives slow spoilage. They stop mould, yeast, or bacteria so a product lasts on the shelf or in the fridge. They are not flavors and they are not colors.
- E300–E399 — This range stops fats going rancid and keeps pH stable. Antioxidants protect flavor and color during storage. Acidity regulators set tartness and help other additives work.
- E400–E499 — Thickeners, stabilizers, and emulsifiers control texture. They stop oil and water separating, give sauces body, and keep ice cream from forming ice crystals. They do not color or preserve on their own.
- E500–E599 — This range adjusts pH, helps dough rise, and stops powders clumping. Adding an E500s additive does not usually change color or sweetness.
- E600–E699 — Flavor enhancers boost existing taste, especially savoury umami. They are not sweeteners and they are not spices. A small amount makes broth, snacks, and sauces taste fuller.
- E900–E999 — This mixed range covers glazes, anti-foaming agents, flour treatments, and intense sweeteners. Sweeteners add sweetness with little or no sugar. Glazes put a shine on candy and fruit. Flour improvers change dough strength.
- E1000+ — Codes from E1000 up are later additions: modified starches, carriers, and solvents. They thicken, carry flavor, or keep a mix pourable. The high number is not a danger score.
E100–E199: what colors do in food
Color additives change how food looks. They do not preserve, thicken, or sweeten. Manufacturers add them so a drink, candy, or sauce matches the color shoppers expect.
Natural colors include curcumin (E100) and beta-carotene (E160a). Synthetic azo dyes in this range include tartrazine (E102) and Allura Red (E129). The Southampton Six in this band carry an EU child-hyperactivity warning. Titanium dioxide (E171) is banned in EU food and still permitted in the US.
Use the search above for a specific code in E100–E199, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E200–E299: what preservatives do in food
Preservatives slow spoilage. They stop mould, yeast, or bacteria so a product lasts on the shelf or in the fridge. They are not flavors and they are not colors.
Sorbates (E200, E202) are mild and widely used. Benzoates (E210, E211) are common in soft drinks. Sulphites (E220–E223) must be declared because they can trigger asthma. Nitrites and nitrates (E249–E252) keep cured meat pink and suppress Clostridium botulinum; they can also form nitrosamines.
Use the search above for a specific code in E200–E299, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E300–E399: what antioxidants and acidity regulators do in food
This range stops fats going rancid and keeps pH stable. Antioxidants protect flavor and color during storage. Acidity regulators set tartness and help other additives work.
Ascorbic acid (E300, vitamin C) and tocopherols (E306, vitamin E) are nutrients used as antioxidants. Citric acid (E330) sets acidity. BHA (E320) and BHT (E321) are synthetic antioxidants permitted within limits. Phosphoric acid (E338) acidifies cola.
Use the search above for a specific code in E300–E399, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E400–E499: what thickeners and emulsifiers do in food
Thickeners, stabilizers, and emulsifiers control texture. They stop oil and water separating, give sauces body, and keep ice cream from forming ice crystals. They do not color or preserve on their own.
Agar (E406), pectin (E440), and xanthan gum (E415) are common thickeners. Carrageenan (E407) is permitted in food but not in EU infant formula. Mono- and diglycerides (E471) are everyday fat emulsifiers. Sorbitol (E420) is a humectant with a laxative warning at high intake.
Use the search above for a specific code in E400–E499, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E500–E599: what acidity regulators and anti-caking agents do in food
This range adjusts pH, helps dough rise, and stops powders clumping. Adding an E500s additive does not usually change color or sweetness.
Sodium carbonates (E500) are baking soda. Ammonium carbonates (E503) are a traditional leavener. Silicon dioxide (E551) is an anti-caking agent. MSG is E621 and sits in the next band, not here.
Use the search above for a specific code in E500–E599, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E600–E699: what flavor enhancers do in food
Flavor enhancers boost existing taste, especially savoury umami. They are not sweeteners and they are not spices. A small amount makes broth, snacks, and sauces taste fuller.
Monosodium glutamate (E621) is the main umami salt. Disodium guanylate (E627) and disodium inosinate (E631) are often paired with MSG. EFSA and FDA consider MSG safe at food levels; it must still be declared on the label.
Use the search above for a specific code in E600–E699, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E900–E999: what glazing agents and sweeteners do in food
This mixed range covers glazes, anti-foaming agents, flour treatments, and intense sweeteners. Sweeteners add sweetness with little or no sugar. Glazes put a shine on candy and fruit. Flour improvers change dough strength.
Aspartame (E951), sucralose (E955), and steviol glycosides (E960) are sweeteners. Potassium bromate (E924) and azodicarbonamide (E927a) are flour treatments banned in the EU and still used in some US bread. Xylitol (E967) is safe for people within limits and toxic to dogs.
Use the search above for a specific code in E900–E999, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
E1000+: what later-approved additives do in food
Codes from E1000 up are later additions: modified starches, carriers, and solvents. They thicken, carry flavor, or keep a mix pourable. The high number is not a danger score.
Modified starches (E1400, E1442, E1450) replace some fats or stabilize sauces. Propylene glycol (E1520) is a humectant and solvent permitted within limits.
Use the search above for a specific code in E1000+, or scan a food label to see which additives a product actually contains.
The additives where the EU and US disagree
The most practically useful thing this list shows is regulatory divergence — additives legal on one side of the Atlantic and restricted on the other. The headline cases as of 2026:
- Titanium dioxide (E171). Banned as a food additive across the EU since 2022 after EFSA could not rule out genotoxicity from nanoparticles. Still permitted in US food, though the FDA placed it under accelerated post-market review in 2025 and several states and manufacturers are removing it.
- The Southampton Six (E102, E104, E110, E122, E124, E129). Legal in both regions, but the EU requires the label warning "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children," which the US does not. Many EU manufacturers reformulated to avoid the warning.
- Erythrosine / Red 3 (E127). The FDA revoked its authorization in January 2025, with food compliance required by January 2027; long restricted in the EU, Japan, and Australia.
- Potassium bromate (E924) and azodicarbonamide (E927a). Both banned in the EU; both still permitted in US flour and bread products.
- Brominated vegetable oil (E443). Banned in the EU; the FDA revoked its US authorization in 2024, closing a long-standing gap.
SafeShelf's scanner applies the strictest major standard when scoring, so a US product containing an EU-banned additive is flagged even though it's legal where it was sold.