Food Additives - Numerical list
Additional Information
Do you try to read the nutritional label before giving the food to yourself or your child but sometimes feel that we are just eating a bunch of numbers. What do they mean? Well here is a list. Most of them are not that bad. Print it out and keep it on your fridge so you can always check the label before you eat it.
Tip:- if you think your child goes crazy every time you feed them. Do some research; it may contain an additive they are sensitive to.
Food Additives- Numerical List
(Updated September 2002)
Symbols used in this list:
α = alpha; β = beta; δ = delta; γ = gamma.
Prescribed Name Code
Number
Curcumin or Turmeric (colour) 100
Riboflavin or Riboflavin 5’-phosphate sodium
(colour) 101
Tartrazine (colour) 102
Alkanet or Alkannin (colour) 103
Quinoline yellow (colour) 104
Sunset yellow FCF (colour) 110
Carmines or Carminic acid or Cochineal (colour) 120
Azorubine or Carmoisine (colour) 122
Amaranth (colour) 123
Ponceau 4R (colour) 124
Erythrosine (colour) 127
Allura red AC (colour) 129
Indigotine (colour) 132
Brilliant blue FCF (colour) 133
Chlorophyll (colour) 140
Chlorophyll-copper complex (colour) 141
Green S (colour) 142
Fast green FCF (colour) 143
Caramel I (colour) 150a
Caramel II (colour) 150b
Caramel III (colour) 150c
Caramel IV (colour) 150d
Brilliant black BN or Brilliant black PN (colour) 151
Carbon black or vegetable carbon (colour) 153
Brown HT (colour) 155
Carotene (colour) 160a
Annatto extracts (colour) 160b
Paprika oleoresins (colour) 160c
Lycopene (colour) 160d
_-apo-8. Carotenal (colour) 160e
_-apo-8. Carotenoic acid or methyl ethyl ester
(colour) 160f
Flavoxanthin (colour) 161a
Lutein (colour) 161b
Kryptoxanthin (colour) 161c
Rubixanthin (colour) 161d
Violoxanthin (colour) 161e
Rhodoxanthin (colour) 161f
Beet red (colour) 162
Anthocyanins or Grape skin extract or Blackcurrant
extract (colour) 163
Saffron or Crocetin or Crocin (colour) 164
Calcium carbonate (colour, anti-caking agent) 170
Titanium dioxide (colour) 171
Iron oxide (colour) 172
Aluminium (colour) 173
Silver (colour) 174
Gold (colour) 175
Tannic acid or tannins (colour, emulsifier, stabiliser,
thickener) 181
Sorbic acid (preservative) 200
Sodium sorbate (preservative) 201
Potassium sorbate (preservative) 202
Calcium sorbate (preservative) 203
Benzoic acid (preservative) 210
Sodium benzoate (preservative) 211
Potassium benzoate (preservative) 212
Calcium benzoate (preservative) 213
Propylparaben or Propyl-p-hydroxy-benzoate
(preservative) 216
Methylparaben or Methyl-p-hydroxy-benzoate
(preservative) 218
Sulphur dioxide (preservative) 220
Sodium sulphite (preservative) 221
Sodium bisulphite (preservative) 222
Sodium metabisulphite (preservative) 223
Potassium metabisulphite (preservative) 224
Potassium sulphite (preservative) 225
Potassium bisulphite (preservative) 228
Nisin (preservative) 234
Natamycin or Pimaricin (preservative) 235
Dimethyl dicarbonate (preservative) 242
Potassium nitrite (preservative, colour fixative) 249
Sodium nitrite (preservative, colour fixative) 250
Sodium nitrate (preservative, colour fixative) 251
Potassium nitrate (preservative, colour fixative) 252
Acetic acid, glacial (acidity regulator) 260
Potassium acetate or Potassium diacetate (acidity
regulator) 261
Sodium acetates (acidity regulator) 262
Calcium acetate (acidity regulator) 263
Ammonium acetate (acidity regulator) 264
Lactic acid (acidity regulator) 270
Propionic acid (preservative) 280
Sodium propionate (preservative) 281
Calcium propionate (preservative) 282
Potassium propionate (preservative) 283
Carbon dioxide (propellant) 290
Malic acid (acidity regulator) 296
Fumaric acid (acidity regulator) 297
Ascorbic acid (antioxidant) 300
Sodium ascorbate (antioxidant) 301
Calcium ascorbate (antioxidant) 302
Potassium ascorbate (antioxidant) 303
Ascorbyl palmitate (antioxidant) 304
Tocopherols concentrate, mixed (antioxidant) 306
a-Tocopherol (antioxidant) 307
_-Tocopherol (antioxidant) 308
_-Tocopherol (antioxidant) 309
Propyl gallate (antioxidant) 310
Octyl gallate (antioxidant) 311
Dodecyl gallate (antioxidant) 312
Erythorbic acid (antioxidant) 315
Sodium erythorbate (antioxidant) 316
tert-Butylhydroquinone (antioxidant) 319
Butylated hydroxyanisole (antioxidant) 320
Butylated hydroxytoluene (antioxidant) 321
Lecithin (antioxidant, emulsifier) 322
Sodium lactate (acidity regulator, humectant,
bulking agent) 325
Potassium lactate (acidity regulator, humectant,
bulking agent) 326
Calcium lactate (acidity regulator) 327
Ammonium lactate (acidity regulator) 328
Magnesium lactate (acidity regulator) 329
Citric acid (acidity regulator, antioxidant) 330
Sodium citrates (acidity regulator, emulsifier,
stabiliser) 331
Potassium citrates (acidity regulator, stabiliser) 332
Calcium citrates (acidity regulator, stabiliser) 333
Tartaric acid (acidity regulator, antioxidant) 334
Sodium tartrates (acidity regulator) 335
Potassium tartrate or Potassium acid tartrate
(acidity regulator, stabiliser) 336
Potassium sodium tartrate (acidity regulator,
stabiliser) 337
Phosphoric acid (acidity regulator) 338
Sodium phosphates (acidity regulator, emulsifier,
stabiliser) 339
Potassium phosphates (acidity regulator,
emulsifier, stabiliser) 340
Calcium phosphates (acidity regulator, emulsifier,
stabiliser, anti-caking agent) 341
Ammonium phosphates (acidity regulator) 342
Magnesium phosphates (acidity regulator, anticaking
agent) 343
Ammonium malate (acidity regulator) 349
Sodium malates (acidity regulator, humectant) 350
Potassium malates (acidity regulator) 351
Calcium malates (acidity regulator) 352
Metatartaric acid (acidity regulator) 353
Calcium tartrate (acidity regulator) 354
Adipic acid (acidity regulator) 355
Potassium adipate (acidity regulator) 357
Ammonium adipates (acidity regulator) 359
Succinic acid (acidity regulator) 363
Sodium fumarate (acidity regulator) 365
Potassium fumarate (acidity regulator) 366
Calcium fumarate (acidity regulator) 367
Ammonium fumarate (acidity regulator) 368
Ammonium citrate or triammonium citrate (acidity
regulator) 380
Ferric ammonium citrate (acidity regulator, anticaking
agent) 381
Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate or
calcium disodium EDTA (preservative, antioxidant) 385
Alginic acid (thickener, stabiliser) 400
Sodium alginate (thickener, stabiliser, gelling 401
agent)
Potassium alginate (thickener, stabiliser) 402
Ammonium alginate (thickener, stabiliser) 403
Calcium alginate (thickener, stabiliser, gelling
agent) 404
Propylene glycol alginate (thickener, emulsifier) 405
Agar (thickener, gelling agent, stabiliser) 406
Carrageenan (thickener, gelling agent, stabiliser) 407
Processed eucheuma seaweed (thickener, gelling
agent, stabiliser) 407a
Arabinogalactan or Larch gum (thickener, gelling
agent, stabiliser) 409
Locust bean gum or Carob bean gum (thickener,
stabiliser)
410
Guar gum (thickener, stabiliser) 412
Tragacanth gum (thickener, stabiliser) 413
Acacia or gum Arabic (thickener, stabiliser) 414
Xanthan gum (thickener, stabiliser) 415
Karaya gum (thickener, stabiliser) 416
Gellan gum (thickener, stabiliser, gelling agent) 418
Sorbitol or sorbitol syrup (sweetener, humectant,
emulsifier) 420
Mannitol (sweetener, humectant) 421
Glycerin or glycerol (humectant) 422
Polyethylene (40) stearate (emulsifier) 431
Polysorbate 80 or Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan
moonoleate (emulsifier) 433
Polysorbate 60 or Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan
monostearate (emulsifier) 435
Polysorbate 65 or Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan
tristearate (emulsifier) 436
Pectins (thickener, stabiliser, gelling agent) 440
Ammonium salts of phosphatidic acid (emulsifier) 442
Sucrose acetate isobutyrate (emulsifier, stabiliser) 444
Glycerol esters of wood rosins (emulsifier,
stabiliser) 445
Potassium pyrophosphate or Sodium acid
pyrophosphate or Sodium pyrophosphate
(emulsifiers, acidity regulators, stabilisers)
450 Potassium tripolyphosphate or Sodium
tripolyphosphate (acidity regulator) 451
Potassium polymetaphosphate or Sodium
metaphosphate, insoluble or Sodium
polyphosphates, glassy (emulsifier, stabiliser) 452
Cellulose microcrystalline and powdered (anti- 460
caking agent)
Methyl cellulose (thickener, stabiliser, emulsifier) 461
Hydroxypropyl cellulose (thickener, stabiliser,
emulsifier) 463
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (thickener,
stabiliser, emulsifier) 464
Methyl ethyl cellulose (thickener, stabiliser,
emulsifier, foaming agent) 465
Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (thickener,
stabiliser) 466
Aluminium, calcium, sodium, magnesium,
potassium and ammonium salts of fatty acids
(emulsifier, stabiliser, anti-caking agent) 470
Mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (emulsifier,
stabiliser) 471
Acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (emulsifier,
stabiliser) 472a
Lactic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (emulsifier,
stabiliser) 472b
Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol (emulsifier,
stabiliser) 472c
Diacetyltartaric and fatty acid esters of glycerol
(emulsifier) 472e
Mixed tartaric, acetic and fatty acid esters of
glycerol (emulsifier, stabiliser) 472f
Sucrose esters of fatty acids (emulsifier) 473
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (emulsifier) 475
Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acid
(emulsifier) 476
Propylene glycol mono- and di-esters or Propylene
glycol esters of fatty acids (emulsifier) 477
Dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate (emulsifier) 480
Sodium lactylate or sodium oleyl lactylate or
sodium stearoyl lactylate (emulsifier, stabiliser) 481
Calcium lactylate or Calcium oleyl lactylate or
Calcium stearoyl lactylate (emulsifier, stabiliser) 482
Sorbitan monostearate (emulsifier) 491
Sorbitan tristearate (emulsifier) 492
Sodium carbonate or Sodium bicarbonate (acidity
regulator, raising agent, anti-caking agent) 500
Potassium carbonates (acidity regulator, stabiliser) 501
Ammonium bicarbonate or Ammonium hydrogen
carbonate (acidity regulator, raising agent) 503
Magnesium carbonate (acidity regulator, anticaking
agent) 504
Hydrochloric acid (acidity regulator) 507
Potassium chloride (gelling agent) 508
Calcium chloride (firming agent) 509
Ammonium chloride (bulking agent) 510
Magnesium chloride (firming agent) 511
Stannous chloride (antioxidant) 512
Sodium sulphate (acidity regulator) 514
Potassium sulphate (acidity regulator) 515
Calcium sulphate (firming agent) 516
Magnesium sulphate (firming agent) 518
Cupric sulphate (mineral salt) 519
Calcium hydroxide (acidity regulator, firming agent) 526
Calcium oxide (acidity regulator) 529
Magnesium oxide (anti-caking agent) 530
Sodium ferrocyanide (anti-caking agent) 535
Potassium ferrocyanide (anti-caking agent) 536
Sodium aluminium phosphate (acidity regulator,
emulsifier) 541
Bone phosphate (anti-caking agent, emulsifier) 542
Silicon dioxide, amorphous (anti-caking agent) 551
Calcium silicate (anti-caking agent) 552
Magnesium silicate or Talc (anti-caking agent) 553
Sodium aluminosilicate (anti-caking agent) 554
Potassium aluminium silicate 555
Calcium aluminium silicate (anti-caking agent) 556
Bentonite (anti-caking agent) 558
Aluminium silicate 559
Potassium silicate (anti-caking agent) 560
Stearic acid or fatty acid (glazing agent, foaming
agent) 570
Glucono _-lactone or Glucono delta-lactone
(acidity regulator, raising agent) 575
Potassium gluconate (sequestrant) 577
Calcium gluconate (acidity regulator, firming agent) 578
Ferrous gluconate (colour retention agent) 579
Magnesium gluconate (acidity regulatory, firming
agent) 580
4-Hexylresorcinol (antioxidant) 586
L-Glutamic acid (flavour enhancer) 620
Monosodium L-glutamate or MSG (flavour
enhancer) 621
Monopotassium L-glutamate (flavour enhancer) 622
Calcium glutamate (flavour enhancer) 623
Monoammonium L-glutamate (flavour enhancer) 624
Magnesium glutamate (flavour enhancer) 625
Disodium 5.-guanylate (flavour enhancer) 627
Disodium 5.-inosinate (flavour enhancer) 631
Disodium 5’-ribonucleotides (flavour enhancer) 635
Maltol (flavour enhancer) 636
Ethyl maltol (flavour enhancer) 637
Glycine (flavour enhancer) 640
L-Leucine (flavour enhancer) 641
Polydimethylsiloxane or Dimethylpolysiloxane (anticaking
agent, emulsifier) 900a
Beeswax, white and yellow (glazing agent) 901
Carnauba wax (glazing agent) 903
Shellac (glazing agent) 904
Petrolatum or petroleum jelly (glazing agent) 905b
Oxidised polyethylene (humectant) 914
L-Cysteine monohydrochloride (raising agent) 920
Nitrogen (propellant) 941
Nitrous oxide (propellant) 942
Butane (propellant) 943a
Isobutane (propellant) 943b
Propane (propellant) 944
Octafluorocyclobutane (propellant) 946
Acesulphame potassium (sweetener) 950
Aspartame (sweetener) 951
Calcium cyclamate or sodium cyclamate or
cyclamate (sweetener) 952
Isomalt (humectant, sweetener, bulking agent, anticaking
agent) 953
Saccharin or calcium saccharin or sodium
saccharine or potassium saccharine (sweetener) 954
Sucralose (sweetener) 955
Alitame (sweetener) 956
Thaumatin (flavour enhancer, sweetener) 957
Neotame (sweetener) 961
Maltitol and maltitol syrup or hydrogenated glucose
syrup (sweetener, stabiliser, emulsifier, humectant) 965
Lactitol (sweetener, humectant) 966
Xylitol (sweetener, humectant, stabiliser) 967
Erythritol (humectant, sweetener) 968
Choline salts (emulsifier) 1001
__amylase (enzyme) 1100
Proteases (papain, bromelain, ficin) (stabiliser, 1101
enzyme)
Glucose oxidase (antioxidant) 1102
Lipases (enzyme) 1104
Lysozyme (enzyme, preservative) 1105
Polydextrose (humectant, bulking agent, stabiliser,
thickener) 1200
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (stabiliser) 1201
Dextrin roasted starch (thickener, stabiliser) 1400
Acid treated starch (thickener, stabiliser) 1401
Alkaline treated starch (thickener, stabiliser) 1402
Bleached starch (thickener, stabiliser) 1403
Oxidised starch (thickener, stabiliser) 1404
Enzyme treated starches (thickener, stabiliser) 1405
Monostarch phosphate (thickener, stabiliser) 1410
Distarch phosphate (thickener, stabiliser) 1412
Phosphated distarch phosphate (thickener,
stabiliser) 1413
Acetylated distarch phosphate (thickener,
stabiliser) 1414
Starch acetate esterified with acetic anhydride
(thickener, stabiliser) 1420
Acetylated distarch adipate (thickener, stabiliser) 1422
Hydroxypropyl starch (thickener, stabiliser) 1440
Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (thickener,
stabiliser) 1442
Starch sodium octenylsuccinate (thickener,
Stabiliser) 1450
Triethyl citrate (antifoaming agent) 1505
Triacetin (humectant) 1518
Propylene glycol (humectant) 1520
Polyethylene glycol 8000 (antifoaming agent) 1521
