E-number decoder: what every E-number means

Code	Name	What it does	Comes from	Vegan?
E100	Curcumin	Colour	Plant	Usually yes
E101	Riboflavin (vitamin B2)	Colour	Varies	Check the source
E102	TartrazineIn the EU and UK, foods with this colour must also say: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E104	Quinoline yellowIn the EU and UK, foods with this colour must also say: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E110	Sunset yellow FCFIn the EU and UK, foods with this colour must also say: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E120	Carmine (cochineal)Learn more →	Colour	Insect	No
E122	Azorubine (carmoisine)In the EU and UK, foods with this colour must also say: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E124	Ponceau 4RIn the EU and UK, foods with this colour must also say: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E129	Allura red ACIn the EU and UK, foods with this colour must also say: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E133	Brilliant blue FCF	Colour	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E150a	Plain caramel	Colour	Plant	Usually yes
E160a	Carotenes	Colour	Varies	Check the source
E160b	Annatto	Colour	Plant	Usually yes
E162	Beetroot red	Colour	Plant	Usually yes
E171	Titanium dioxideNo longer authorised as a food additive in the EU since 2022.	Colour	Mineral	Usually yes
E200	Sorbic acid	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E202	Potassium sorbate	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E211	Sodium benzoate	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E220	Sulphur dioxideSulphites above 10 mg per kg or litre must be declared as an allergen in the EU and UK.	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E223	Sodium metabisulphiteSulphites above 10 mg per kg or litre must be declared as an allergen in the EU and UK.	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E250	Sodium nitriteMostly used in cured and processed meats.	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E260	Acetic acid	Acid or acidity regulator	Varies	Check the source
E270	Lactic acidDespite the name, it is usually made by fermenting sugars, not from milk.	Acid or acidity regulator	Varies	Check the source
E282	Calcium propionate	Preservative	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E296	Malic acid	Acid or acidity regulator	Varies	Check the source
E300	Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)	Antioxidant	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E306	Tocopherol-rich extract (vitamin E)	Antioxidant	Plant	Usually yes
E322	LecithinsCan come from soy, sunflower or eggs.Learn more →	Emulsifier	Varies	Check the source
E330	Citric acid	Acid or acidity regulator	Varies	Check the source
E331	Sodium citrates	Acid or acidity regulator	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E407	Carrageenan	Thickener or gelling agent	Plant	Usually yes
E410	Locust bean gum (carob)	Thickener or gelling agent	Plant	Usually yes
E412	Guar gum	Thickener or gelling agent	Plant	Usually yes
E414	Gum arabic (acacia gum)	Thickener or gelling agent	Plant	Usually yes
E415	Xanthan gum	Thickener or gelling agent	Varies	Check the source
E420	SorbitolEating a lot may have a laxative effect. EU labels must say so when more than 10% is added.	Sweetener	Varies	Check the source
E422	GlycerolCan be made from plant or animal fats, and labels rarely say which.	Thickener or gelling agent	Varies	Check the source
E440	Pectins	Thickener or gelling agent	Plant	Usually yes
E471	Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acidsCan be made from plant or animal fats, and labels rarely say which.	Emulsifier	Varies	Check the source
E476	Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR)	Emulsifier	Plant	Usually yes
E500	Sodium carbonates (baking soda)	Raising agent	Mineral	Usually yes
E503	Ammonium carbonates	Raising agent	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E621	Monosodium glutamate (MSG)	Flavour enhancer	Varies	Check the source
E627	Disodium guanylateCan be made from fish, or by fermentation.	Flavour enhancer	Varies	Check the source
E631	Disodium inosinateCan be made from meat or fish, or by fermentation.	Flavour enhancer	Varies	Check the source
E901	Beeswax	Glazing agent	Animal	No
E903	Carnauba wax	Glazing agent	Plant	Usually yes
E904	ShellacMade from a resin produced by lac insects.	Glazing agent	Insect	No
E920	L-cysteineCan come from feathers or hair, or be made synthetically.	Flour treatment agent	Varies	Check the source
E950	Acesulfame K	Sweetener	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E951	AspartameContains a source of phenylalanine, which the label must state.	Sweetener	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E955	Sucralose	Sweetener	Made synthetically	Usually yes
E960	Steviol glycosides (stevia)	Sweetener	Plant	Usually yes
E967	XylitolEating a lot may have a laxative effect. EU labels must say so when more than 10% is added.	Sweetener	Varies	Check the source
E1105	LysozymeUsually taken from egg white.Learn more →	Preservative	Animal	No
E1422	Acetylated distarch adipate	Thickener or gelling agent	Plant	Usually yes

What are E-numbers?

E-numbers are codes for food additives that have been assessed and approved for use in the European Union. Many countries, including in the Gulf, use the same numbers, sometimes written as INS numbers. The number range gives a clue to the job: the E100s are mostly colours, the E200s preservatives, the E300s antioxidants and acidity regulators, the E400s thickeners and emulsifiers, and the E900s include glazing agents and sweeteners.

How it works

Type a code such as E120, or paste a whole ingredient list.
Matching codes light up with their name, job and origin.
Codes marked “check the source” can come from plants or animals; the label rarely says which.

Label highlighter

Questions

Are E-numbers bad for you?

An E-number means the additive has been assessed and approved for use in the EU, within set limits. Some people choose to avoid certain additives for personal, dietary or health reasons, so it helps to know what each code is.

Which E-numbers come from animals or insects?

In this list, carmine (E120) and shellac (E904) come from insects, beeswax (E901) and lysozyme (E1105) from animals, and several others such as E471, E422 and E920 can come from animal or plant sources.

What are the “Southampton colours”?

E102, E104, E110, E122, E124 and E129. In the EU and UK, foods containing them must carry a warning that they may affect activity and attention in children.

What does that E-number mean?

What are E-numbers?

How it works

Questions

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