Below, 3 E number tables. The Red table denotes the most dangerous, the Amber for
medium risk and Green for the least harmful.
RED Table - MOST DANGEROUS:
Name
E Number
How it is used
What you should know
Allura Red AC
E129
Widely used as food colouring, in
snacks, sauces, preserves, soups,
wine, cider etc.
Amaranth
E123
Food colour used in wine, spirits,
fish roe
Banned in the US. Avoid if you suffer from
asthma, rhinitis, urticaria and other allergies.
Aspartame
E951
Widely used as a sweetener in
drinks, snacks, sweets, alcohol,
desserts and 'diet' foods
Aspartame may affect people with PKU
(phenylketonuria) Recent reports show the
possibility of headaches, blindness and seizures
with long-term, high-dose aspartame
Benzoic Acid
E210
Widely used preservative in many
foods including drinks, low-sugar
products, cereals and meat
products
Can temporarily inhibit the function of digestive
enzymes and may deplete glycine levels. Should
be avoided by those with allergic conditions such
as hay fever, hives and asthma.
Brilliant Black BN
E151
Widely used in drinks, sauces,
snacks, wines, cheese etc
People who suffer from allergic conditions,
asthma, rhinitis, urticaria, etc. should avoid this
substance
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
E320
The International Agency For Research on
Very widely used as a preservative, Cancer says that BHA is possibly carcinogenic to
particularly in fat containing foods, humans. BHA also interacts with nitrates to form
confectionary, meats
chemicals known to be mutagenic (cause
changes in the DNA cells)
Calcium Benzoate
E213
Preservatives in many foods
including drinks, low-sugar
products, cereals, meat products
Can temporarily inhibit the function of digestive
enzymes and may deplete glycine and amino
levels. Should be avoided by those with allergic
conditions such as hay fever, hives and asthma
E226
Very widely used, mainly as a
preservative in a vast array of foods
- from burgers to biscuits, from
frozen mushrooms to horseradish
pulp
In the US sulphites are banned from many foods,
including meat, because they make old products
look fresh. They can cause bronchial problems,
flushing, low blood pressure, tingling, and
anaphylactic shock. The International Labour
Organisation (ILO) says avoid them if you suffer
from bronchial asthma, cardiovascular or
respiratory problems and emphysema.
Click here for more info
Calcium Sulphite
Avoid if you suffer from asthma, rhinitis (including
hay fever) and urticaria (an allergic rash also
known as hives
Monosodium
Glutamate (MSG)
E621
Widely used as a flavour enhancer
Those sensitive to monosodium glutamate have
felt symptoms including pressure on the head,
seizures, chest pains, headache, nausea,
burning sensations and tightness of face. Many
baby food producers have stopped adding this
substance
Ponceau4R,
Cochineal Red A
E124
Widely used as a colouring
People who suffer from asthma, rhinitis, urticaria,
may find their symptoms become worse following
consumption or foods containing this colouring.
Potassium Benzoate
E212
Preservatives in many foods
including drinks, low-sugar
products, cereals, meat products
Can temporarily inhibit the function of digestive
enzymes and may deplete glycine and amino
levels. Should be avoided by those with allergic
conditions such as hay fever, hives and asthma.
Potassium Nitrate
E249
Used as a preservative in cured
meats and canned meat products
Three main health concerns; It can lower the
oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood; it may
combine with other substances to form
nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic, and it may
have an atrophying affect on the adrenal gland.
Propyl P-hydroxybenzoate, Propylparaben, Paraben
E216
Preservative in Pates, cereals,
snacks, meat products and
confectionary
Saccharin and its
Na, K and Ca salts
E954
Very widely used sweetener, found The International Agency for Research on
in diet, and no added sugar
Cancer has concluded that Saccharin is possibly
products
carcinogenic to humans
Sodium
Metabisulphite
E223
Widely used as a preservative and
antioxidant
May provoke life-threatening asthma - a woman
developed severe asthma after eating a salad
with a vinegar based dressing containing E223
Sodium Sulphite
E221
Preservative used in wine making
and other food processes
Sulphites have been associated with triggering
asthma attacks; most asthmatics are sensitive to
sulphites on food.
Stannous Chloride
(tin)
E512
Antioxidant and colour retention
agent in canned and bottled foods,
fruit juices
Acute poisoning has been reported from
ingestion of fruit juices containing concentrations
of tin greater than 250mg per litre. Causing
nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and headaches.
Very widely used preservative
Sulphur Dioxide reacts with a wide range of
substances found in food, including various
essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes and
essential fatty acids. The most common adverse
reaction to sulphites in bronchial problems,
particularly those prone to asthma. Other adverse
reactions may include hypotension (low blood
pressure) flushing, tingling sensations and
anaphylactic shock. The ILO says you should
avoid E220 if you suffer from conjunctivitis,
bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma or
cardiovascular disease.
Widely used food colour
Some animal studies have indicated growth
retardation and severe weight loss. People with
asthma, rhinitis or urticaria should avoid this
product.
Widely used yellow food colour
May cause allergic reactions in perhaps 15 per
cent of the population. It may be a cause of
asthmatic attacks and has been implicated in
bouts of hyperactivity disorder in children. Those
who suffer from asthma, rhinitis, urticaria may
find symptoms worsen after consumption
Sulphur Dioxide
Sunset YellowFCF,
Orange -Yellow S
Tartrazine
E220
E110
E102
Parabens have been identified as the cause of
chronic dermatitis in numerous instances.
AMBER TABLE - MEDIUM RISK:
Name
E Number
How it is used
What you should know
To clear tap water and as a food
colour
High levels of aluminium have been linked with
Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis
Aluminium
E173
Annatto
Bixin
Norbixin
E160B
Food colour used in wide variety of
foods including margarine, bakery,
desserts, cheese, smoked fish,
cereals and liqueurs
May provoke flare-ups of urticaria and
angioneurotic oedema (an allergic reaction
characterised by the sudden onset of swelling in
the skin, and other areas) difficulty in breathing
Canthaxanthin
E161G
Food colouring in sausages
Main concern is tendency to form crystals in the
retina of the eye. Long-term ingestion may cause
liver damage.
Carbon Dioxide
E290
Used for fizz in beer and other
drinks. It retards ripening in
vegetables and fruit and inactivates
moulds and bacteria
Exposure to carbon dioxide over long periods of
time can be dangerous. Experimental evidence
shows that carbon dioxide exposure might
significantly reduce fertility
Cyclamic Acid And
it's Na and Ca Salts
E952
Used widely as sweetener in 'Diet',
energy-reduced and no-addedsugar products
Some skin conditions such as Pruritis,
Dermographia, Urticaria and Angioneurotic
oedema have been attributed to intake of
Cyclamates.
Diphosphates,
Disodium
Diphosphate, SAPP
E450
Used as a leavening agent in
Excessive use may lead to imbalance of mineral
doughnuts, biscuits, baking powder,
levels, which could potentially lead to damage to
cheese, canned potatoes and fish
bone density and osteoporosis.
etc.
Ferrous Gluconate
E579
Colouring for olives
Can kill children, especially between 12 and 24
months. As little as 2gm may cause death.
However these levels could usually only be taken
In the form of iron supplements.
Gelatine
None
Widely used as a thickening and
gelling agent in jellies,
confectionery, meat products.
There are concerns over gelatine in the wake of
the BSE crisis as it is obtained from
slaughterhouse by-products. These are usually
obtained from pigs, but very occasionally from
cattle
Glutamic Acid
E620
Widely used as a flavour enhancer
and salt substitute. Particularly in
condiments and seasonings
Researchers are concerned that glutamates
could kill nerve cells which might be involved with
degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's and Huntington's.
E239
Preservative used in cheese
May be combining formaldehyde and ammonia.
Formaldehyde is considered carcinogenic and
may provoke asthma, bronchitis, headaches and
skin irritation.
Karaya Gum
(Gum Sterculia)
E416
Used as an emulsifier in salad
dressings, as a binder in meat
products also in cheese and ices,
liqueurs and chewing gum
It absorbs a large quantity of water and so acts
as a laxative, which may produce abdominal
discomfort. Occasional allergic reactions, i.e.,
urticaria, rhinitis, dermatitis and asthma, has
been attributed to powered Karaya gum
Lactitol
E966
Widely used as a sweetener in
energy-reduced, no-added-sugar
and 'diet' products
May cause diarrhoea in very large (50g or more)
doses. In animal studies there is evidence of
some foetotoxicity (mutagenic damage to the
foetus)
Litholrubine BK
E180
Used as a dye for cheese rind
Can affect those who suffer from asthma, rhinitis,
urticaria and other allergic reactions.
Excessive intake of phosphorus in food and drink
may produce an imbalance of essential minerals
leading to a loss of calcium from bone and
calcification of soft tissues, especially the
kidneys. The acceptable daily limit is 70mg. But it
is quite likely that someone eating a typical
western junk food diet could consume 500mg of
phosphorus a day. At this level bone mineral
content and density will decrease, making the
onset of osteoporosis more likely.
Hexa-methylene
tetramine
(Hexamine)
Phosphoric Acid
E338
Widely used as a solvent,
antioxidant and as a flavouring
(mainly in soft drinks)
Potassium Chloride
E508
Large doses by mouth (although rare) can cause
Widely used as a seasoning and in gastrointestinal irritation, weakness, circulation
yeast products
problems and vomiting. However, potassium
chloride in a commercial dietary salt substitute
produced a near-fatal poisoning in an eightmonth-old infant.
Quillaia
extractSaponin
E999
Foaming agent in soft drinks
Powdered Quillaia bark has highly local irritant
and stimulatory properties. Unlikely to cause
problems in drinks, but large doses severe toxic
effects including liver damage, respiratory failure,
convulsions and coma
Sodium aluminium
phosphateAcidic
E541
Raising agent used in scones and
sponge cakes
High levels of aluminium have been linked with
Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis
Sodium,
Monosodium,
Disodium and
Trisodium Citrates
E331
Controls acidity in carbonated
drinks, evaporated milk and dry
soup mixes
Excessive intake may upset the acid/alkaline
balance and cause tetany (muscle spasms) or
depress the heart
Excessive intake of phosphorus in food and drink
may produce an imbalance of essential minerals
leading to a loss of calcium from bone and
calcification of soft tissues, especially the
kidneys. The acceptable daily limit is 70mg. But it
is quite likely that someone eating a typical
western junk food diet could consume 500mg of
phosphorus a day. At this level bone mineral
content and density will decrease, making the
onset of osteoporosis more likely.
Sodium
Phosphates;
Monosodium,
Disodium, Trisodium
Phosphates
E339
Used in quick cook pasta and
coffee whiteners
Sodium Potassium
Tartrate
E337
Should be avoided by people with cardiac failure,
Used as an emulsifier in processed
high blood pressure, damaged liver or kidneys as
cheese
it can cause sodium and water retention.
Sorbitan
Monostearate
E491
Widely used emulsifier
At high levels can cause liver and bile duct
enlargement, growth retardation.
Succinic Acid
E363
Flavour enhancer in soups,
desserts and drinks
Large doses may produce diarrhoea and
vomiting.
GREEN - Least Harmful:
Name
E Number
Acacia Gum,Gum
Arabic
E414
Widely used as a thickening agent
Virtually non toxic, but can provoke asthma
Adipic Acid
E355
Flavouring and leavening agent in
dessert mixes, drink powders and
bakery
Humans can only metabolise small amounts of
Adipic acid. It has been found to depress growth
in rats.
Ammonium
carbonates,
Ammonium
hydrogen
carbonate,
Ammonium
bicarbonate
E503
Used as an acidity regulator and
raising agent in baking powder
Considered safe in relatively small amounts (as
in food additives) but consumption of large
amounts (6-8g) increases excretion of essential
minerals.
Beetroot Red,
Betanin(e)
E162
Widely used as a colouring
Intake should be restricted for small children
Biphenyl (Diphenyl)
(Phenyl Benzene)
E230
Used mainly as a preservative to
prevent mould on citrus fruit
Workers impregnating fruit wrappings with
Diphenyl have displayed symptoms which
indicate central and peripheral nerve damage
and liver injury
Calcium Ascorbate
E302
Widely used antioxidant
Large amounts might increase the formation of
calcium oxalate stones in the kidneys
E170
Widely used as a colouring,
particularly in confectionery
Can cause constipation. Large quantities (less
likely in foods than medicinal doses) can result in
haemorrhoids, kidney stones, confused
behaviour, anorexia, abdominal pains and weak
muscles.
Calcium Carbonate
How it is used
What you should know
Calcium Chloride
E509
Carbamide (Urea)
E927B
Used as a firming agent in fruit
Solid particles can cause skin peeling, eye
discharge ad nose bleeding. Doses in food
however are unlikely to cause problems
Texturiser in chewing gum
No harmful side effects. But you might like to
know that Urea is a basic part of Urine!
Citric Acid
E330
Widely used as an antioxidant and
flavouring
A natural, organic additive,Citric acid is
considered a chemical, is made from a mold, and
is widely used as a preservative not as an
organic additive(
although some call it that). It is also used as an
anticoagulant in butter. frequent or excessive
intake may cause erosion of teeth and gum
irritation.
Cochineal,
Carminic acid,
Carmines
E120
Widely used as a red colouring
Safe, but you might like to know that Cochineal is
obtained from the dried bodies of a female insect!
Gellan Gum
E418
Thickening and gelling agent,
stabiliser
High intake may produce a laxative effect
Glycerol
E422
Used to make 'soft scoop' ice
cream, to control crystallization in
sweets and as a food emulsifier
Few adverse effects following intake of the
amounts likely to be found in food. Larger
amounts may cause mild headache, dizziness,
nausea, vomiting, thirst and diarrhoea
Guar Gum
E412
Widely used to create 'mouth feel'
(how good a product tastes in the
mouth) and to stop ice cream
melting
Main concern has been over-use as a slimming
aid where the fear is it could swell in the
oesophagus, causing rupture or choking
obstructions.
Hydrochloric Acid
E507
Widely used in food processing
May be carcinogenic, if mixed with formaldehyde.
Locust Bean Gum
E410
Found in bakery, ice-cream, soft
cheese and sausages
May contain tannins, which inhibit appetite and
growth.
Mannitol
E421
Exerts a laxative effect (at doses of 10-20g)
Widely used as a sweetener in 'diet'
However, no serious adverse effects noted in
and no-added-sugar products
clinical experiments
Methyl Cellulose
E461
If used as a diet aid should always be taken with
Used to increase water absorption
plenty of water to prevent blockages. If you have
and retention and give mouth feel.
bowel problems you should check with your
Stops fried foods from absorbing oil
doctor before taking it as a diet aid.
Polydextrose
E1200
Potassium Adipate
Propionic Acid
Widely used as a stabiliser,
thickening and bulking agent
Produces a laxative effect at around 90g per day
intake or more - unlikely to cause problems in
amounts of food.
E357
Flavouring agent in dessert mixes,
drink powders, bakery
Humans can only metabolise small amounts of
Adipic acid. Depresses growth in rats
E280
Used as a preservative, mainly in
breads and bakery products
Unlikely to cause a problem in food. Exposure of
workers to Propionic acid shows mild to
moderate skin burns and mild eye redness.
E310
Widely used antioxidant
Unlikely to be carcinogenic, although it may
cause contact dermatitis in those regularly
exposed to it (i.e. bakery workers) In animal
studies, male rats developed proputial gland
tumours in the pancreas
Silver
E174
Used for the external coating of
confectionery
Unlikely to cause problems in the amounts found
in food stuffs, but long-term use is known to have
caused argyria (darkening of the eyes, nose,
throat and skin) in one patient with resulting
kidney damage.
Sodium Alginate
E401
Widely used as a thickening agent
The greatest danger from ingestion of large
quantities is the possibility of intestinal
obstruction. Unlikely to cause harm
Triphosphates,
pentasodium and
Pentapotassium
Triphosphate
E451
Texturiser used mainly in eggcontaining products. Tenderises
tinned peas and beans. Maintains
moisture in meat products.
Unlikely to cause problems in the amounts found
in foodstuffs, but ingestion of large amounts
(usually only through consuming detergents) can
cause vomiting, diarrhoea, fall of blood pressure,
slow pulse, cyanosis, tetany (muscle spasm).
Xylitol
E967
Widely used, mainly as a
There are no toxicity concerns, but stimulation of
sweetener and to make foods taste
freshness could mislead consumers.
fresh
Propyl Gallate