Anti-caking agent
E538 (calcium ferrocyanide): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E538 is calcium ferrocyanide, an anti-caking agent. E538 is made in a lab. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E538=made in a lab
What is E538?
E538 (calcium ferrocyanide) is an anti-caking agent, an additive that stops the grains of a powder sticking together. Allowed in the EU only in salt and salt substitutes, to stop them clumping.
What is E538 made from?
E538 is made in a lab.
- Made in a lab
Is E538 vegan?
Fits you. E538 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E538 have on a label?
On a label, E538 can also appear as “INS 538”, “Anti-caking agent (538)”, “Anti-caking agent (E538)” or “Calcium ferrocyanide”.
Any of these on a pack means E538. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E538?
For E538, only the ingredient list itself: a code the camera cannot read gets Needs one more scan, and the app never guesses a code it cannot see.
Sources: EU, US and Codex additive rules
Where additives are listed and approved. Bravoora reads the source and the diet; it does not rate the hazard.
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
- EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
- US FDA: Food Additive Status List
- FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online
Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).
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