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Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Ingredients and Additives

E number

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

nounCore term

In food science & technology, E number means: A code made of the letter E and a number, such as E330 for citric acid, that identifies a food additive approved for use in the European Union.

In Turkish: E kodu, E numarası

How it is used

Used on ingredient lists in the EU, Turkey and many other countries: 'acidity regulator (E330)' or 'acidity regulator: citric acid'. The ranges roughly follow function: E100s colors, E200s preservatives, E300s antioxidants and acidity regulators, E400s thickeners, stabilizers and emulsifiers. Elsewhere the same INS numbers are used without the E.

Example sentences

  1. The retailer asked us to remove E numbers from the label and write the full names instead.

  2. Every E number in the recipe must be checked against the export country's additive list.

Common collocations

  • declare the E number
  • E number on the label
  • INS number
  • approved additive
  • additive code
  • food additiveA substance that is not normally eaten as a food by itself but is added in small amounts for a technical purpose, such as preserving, coloring, thickening or sweetening.
  • ingredient listThe part of a food label that names all the ingredients, including additives, in descending order of weight at the time they were used.
  • preservativeA food additive that slows down the growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds, helping the product stay safe and acceptable for longer.
  • emulsifierA substance that helps oil and water mix and stay mixed, as in mayonnaise, margarine, ice cream or chocolate.
  • labelThe printed information on a food package, such as the product name, ingredients, allergens, net quantity, date mark, storage instructions and producer details.

More terms: Ingredients and Additives

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