E numbers are codes for substances which can be used as food additives for use within the European Union and Switzerland (the "E" stands for "Europe"). They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority.
Having a single unified list for food additives was first agreed upon in 1962 with colors. In 1964, the directives for preservatives were added, 1970 for antioxidants and 1974 for the emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners and gelling agents.
It is extremely wise to avoid eating food with harmful food additives - E Numbers in them. Not all E Numbers are bad for you. The following list is based on information from the Ministries of Health of the United States, France, UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia & Italy.
Numbering scheme
The numbering scheme follows that of the International Numbering System (INS) as determined by the Codex Alimentarius committee, though only a subset of the INS additives are approved for use in the European Union as food additives. E numbers are also encountered on food labeling in other jurisdictions, including the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. They are increasingly, though still rarely, found on North American packaging, especially in Canada on imported European products.
The application is organised in 3 categories:
- List of Dangerous E
- Top Offenders to Avoid (based on US classification)
- List of E from animal and plant origin (to help vegans and vegetarians to find safe products in accordance with their diet)
Disclaimer: We compiled this application from different sources (some listed below) for our personal use.
The content is not intended to constitute professional advice nor it does include all information about every additive. If you find this Food Additive List helpful, you are welcome to download it for your personal use.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_food_additives
http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/ColorAdditives/ColorAdditiveInventories/ucm106626.htm
http://curezone.org/foods/enumbers.asp
http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/biology/issues/biy-13-37-3/biy-37-3-3-1204-24.pdf
This information is considered accurate and reliable as of the date appearing above and is presented in good faith. Because use conditions and applicable laws may differ from one location to another and may change with time, Recipient is responsible for determining whether the information in this document is appropriate for recipient’s use
