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What are E numbers? A guide to food additives

Codes such as E330 or E471 on packaged food labels are the numbers of approved food additives. 6,381 of the 11,663 packaged products in the Besin database contain at least one additive with an E number. Below you can read what the most common ones do, where they come from and how they were officially evaluated, and at the bottom you will find every E number we found in products.

The most common additives

Ordered by the number of products that contain them, database snapshot of October 18, 2026.

  1. E330Citric acidAcidity regulator, Antioxidantin 2,104 products
  2. E322LecithinsEmulsifierin 1,975 products
  3. E500Sodium carbonatesRaising agent, Acidity regulatorin 1,220 products
  4. E202Potassium sorbatePreservativein 909 products
  5. E471Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acidsEmulsifier, Stabiliserin 854 products
  6. E300Ascorbic acidAntioxidant, Flour treatment agentin 808 products
  7. E450DiphosphatesRaising agent, Emulsifying salt, Stabiliserin 799 products
  8. E160aCarotenesColourin 611 products
  9. E412Guar gumThickener, Stabiliserin 582 products
  10. E331Sodium citratesAcidity regulator, Emulsifying salt, Stabiliserin 536 products
  11. E503Ammonium carbonatesRaising agent, Acidity regulatorin 535 products
  12. E452PolyphosphatesHumectant, Emulsifying salt, Stabiliserin 481 products
  13. E407CarrageenanThickener, Gelling agent, Stabiliserin 476 products
  14. E476Polyglycerol polyricinoleateEmulsifierin 465 products
  15. E415Xanthan gumThickener, Stabiliserin 452 products
  16. E211Sodium benzoatePreservativein 382 products
  17. E422GlycerolHumectant, Thickenerin 370 products
  18. E420SorbitolSweetener, Humectantin 368 products
  19. E290Carbon dioxidePackaging gas, Carbonating agentin 361 products
  20. E410Locust bean gumThickener, Stabiliserin 357 products

How are E numbers grouped?

The numbers are broadly grouped by what the substance does. This is a tendency, not a strict rule; some substances have more than one function.

E100–E199
Colours
E200–E299
Preservatives and some acids
E300–E399
Antioxidants and acidity regulators
E400–E499
Thickeners, stabilisers, emulsifiers
E500–E599
Acidity regulators, raising agents, anti-caking agents
E600–E699
Flavour enhancers
E900–E999
Glazing agents, gases and sweeteners
E1000 and up
Modified starches, enzymes and others

Frequently asked questions

What does an E number mean?

An E number is the number of a food additive that has been evaluated and approved in the European Union. Türkiye uses the same numbers. On the label an additive is written with its function, either by name or by number; for example "acidity regulator (citric acid)" or "acidity regulator (E330)".

Is everything with an E number artificial?

No. An E number does not say whether a substance is natural or artificial, only that it was evaluated and approved as an additive. E300 ascorbic acid is vitamin C, E440 pectin comes from fruit, and E410 locust bean gum comes from the seed of a tree.

How can I find out which additives a product contains?

Read the product's ingredient list, or search for the product or scan its barcode in Besin App. The app lists the ingredients one by one and explains what each additive is.

What does ADI mean?

The ADI (acceptable daily intake) is the amount of a substance estimated to be safe to take every day over a lifetime, given per kilogram of body weight. For some substances the evaluating bodies see no need for a numerical ADI.

Full list of E numbers

The 196 E numbers we found in the ingredient lists of products in the Besin database, in numerical order. Codes with a guide page are linked.

CodeNameProducts
E100Curcumin169
E101Riboflavin47
E102Tartrazine12
E104Quinoline yellow1
E107Yellow 2G1
E110Sunset yellow FCF5
E120Carmine53
E122Carmoisine (azorubine)13
E123Amaranth3
E124Ponceau 4R1
E129Allura red AC13
E131Patent blue V2
E132Indigotine11
E133Brilliant blue FCF103
E140Chlorophylls and chlorophyllins17
E141Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins83
E142Green S4
E150Caramel colour (type not stated)89
E150aPlain caramel85
E150bCaustic sulphite caramel1
E150cAmmonia caramel52
E150dSulphite ammonia caramel126
E151Brilliant black BN1
E153Vegetable carbon17
E155Brown HT7
E160Carotenoids (type not stated)6
E160aCarotenes611
E160bAnnatto98
E160cPaprika extract269
E160dLycopene22
E160eBeta-apo-8'-carotenal35
E161bLutein24
E162Beetroot red171
E163Anthocyanins129
E170Calcium carbonate159
E171Titanium dioxide46
E172Iron oxides12
E173Aluminium1
E200Sorbic acid229
E202Potassium sorbate909
E210Benzoic acid5
E211Sodium benzoate382
E212Potassium benzoate2
E220Sulphur dioxide37
E222Sodium hydrogen sulphite1
E223Sodium metabisulphite255
E224Potassium metabisulphite12
E234Nisin1
E235Natamycin2
E250Sodium nitrite330
E251Sodium nitrate9
E252Potassium nitrate3
E260Acetic acid75
E262Sodium acetates110
E263Calcium acetate1
E270Lactic acid312
E281Sodium propionate30
E282Calcium propionate112
E290Carbon dioxide361
E296Malic acid225
E297Fumaric acid10
E300Ascorbic acid808
E301Sodium ascorbate98
E304Ascorbyl palmitate41
E306Tocopherol-rich extract105
E307Alpha-tocopherol65
E310Propyl gallate9
E316Sodium erythorbate36
E319TBHQ (tertiary-butyl hydroquinone)5
E320BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)13
E321BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)55
E322Lecithins1,975
E325Sodium lactate92
E326Potassium lactate1
E327Calcium lactate27
E330Citric acid2,104
E331Sodium citrates536
E332Potassium citrates59
E333Calcium citrates32
E334Tartaric acid41
E336Potassium tartrates8
E338Phosphoric acid60
E339Sodium phosphates160
E340Potassium phosphates102
E341Calcium phosphates126
E343Magnesium phosphates1
E345Magnesium citrate3
E350Sodium malates16
E385Calcium disodium EDTA87
E392Extracts of rosemary25
E401Sodium alginate139
E406Agar18
E407Carrageenan476
E410Locust bean gum357
E412Guar gum582
E413Tragacanth7
E414Gum arabic245
E415Xanthan gum452
E417Tara gum113
E418Gellan gum74
E420Sorbitol368
E421Mannitol28
E422Glycerol370
E425Konjac3
E433Polysorbate 806
E435Polysorbate 6021
E440Pectins272
E442Ammonium phosphatides173
E444Sucrose acetate isobutyrate15
E445Glycerol esters of wood rosins103
E450Diphosphates799
E451Triphosphates107
E452Polyphosphates481
E460Cellulose94
E461Methyl cellulose21
E463Hydroxypropyl cellulose12
E464Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose28
E466Carboxymethyl cellulose (cellulose gum)335
E467Ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose1
E470aSodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids14
E470bMagnesium salts of fatty acids23
E471Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids854
E472Esters of mono- and diglycerides (type not stated)1
E472aAcetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides62
E472bLactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides80
E472cCitric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides9
E472dTartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides7
E472eMono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM)160
E473Sucrose esters of fatty acids13
E475Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids121
E476Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR)465
E477Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids19
E481Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate56
E491Sorbitan monostearate7
E492Sorbitan tristearate33
E500Sodium carbonates1,220
E501Potassium carbonates75
E503Ammonium carbonates535
E504Magnesium carbonates13
E507Hydrochloric acid21
E508Potassium chloride105
E509Calcium chloride292
E511Magnesium chloride23
E516Calcium sulphate4
E524Sodium hydroxide48
E525Potassium hydroxide5
E526Calcium hydroxide1
E530Magnesium oxide4
E536Potassium ferrocyanide5
E551Silicon dioxide99
E553Talc11
E555Potassium aluminium silicate4
E570Fatty acids6
E575Glucono-delta-lactone21
E576Sodium gluconate4
E579Ferrous gluconate7
E585Ferrous lactate8
E621Monosodium glutamate173
E627Disodium guanylate88
E630Inosinic acid1
E631Disodium inosinate81
E635Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides49
E636Maltol1
E641L-leucine3
E900Dimethyl polysiloxane5
E901Beeswax51
E903Carnauba wax119
E904Shellac49
E905Microcrystalline wax5
E917Potassium iodate21
E920L-cysteine2
E941Nitrogen9
E942Nitrous oxide2
E950Acesulfame K191
E951Aspartame102
E952Cyclamates11
E953Isomalt32
E954Saccharin18
E955Sucralose219
E960Steviol glycosides129
E961Neotame2
E965Maltitol118
E967Xylitol65
E968Erythritol18
E1100Alpha-amylase15
E1103Invertase8
E1104Lipase15
E1105Lysozyme32
E1200Polydextrose44
E1400Dextrins1
E1420Acetylated starch2
E1422Acetylated distarch adipate17
E1442Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate5
E1450Starch sodium octenyl succinate6
E1518Triacetin6
E1520Propylene glycol11

Food additives are regulated by the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693). The evaluations on these pages are based on opinions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Last reviewed: October 18, 2026. These pages are for information only and are not medical advice.