E-numbers: which ones to avoid

In this article, we look at E-numbers, and give a guide on which ones to avoid for various reasons, most importantly health reasons and keeping healthy, but also to avoid non-vegetarian, non-vegan, allergens, or forbidden foods for example. And some highly recommended resources for further reading is given here.

Of course, the best policy still remains to eat organic, fresh, and where possible local, and remember that too much of anything is bad (even food hitherto good for our health) - indeed one should only eat the amount required (whether that's the food, the drink, or individual additives within the food or drink).

Additives with an E-number are not always artificial (for example curcumin and lycopene have their own E-numbers and are derived from natural sources), although many are (including aspartame, tartrazine, and many more).

The E-numbering system is a European Union classification system for food additives approved for use within the EU, where each additive is given an E-number. The E-numbers are grouped as follows:

Colours: E100-E199
Preservatives: E200-E299
Antioxidants and Acidity regulators: E300-E399
Thickeners, Stabilisers, and Emulsifiers: E400-E499
Acidity regulators and Anti-caking agents: E500-E599
Flavour enhancers: E600-E699
Antibiotics: E700-E799
Miscellaneous: E900-E999
Additional chemicals: E1000-E1999

The E-numbers which should be avoided for various reasons will appear below, and will be grouped by the reason for avoiding, for example potentially harmful or toxic, non-vegetarian, non-vegan, which ones are artificial. This list is a guide, and is not an exhaustive list of E-numbers.

Additives which are, or can be, harmful or toxic

The following additives are definitely to be avoided due to being harmful or toxic. Most (but not all) the ingredients listed below are artificial. Even if you don't notice the effects, there can be a long term toxic effect, and often ingesting two different E-numbers (for example sodium benzoate and tartrazine together) can also be toxic.

The additives in question are listed below:

E102: Tartrazine
E104: Quinoline yellow
E107: Yellow 2G
E110: Sunset Yellow FCF
E120: Cochineal / Carmine / Carminic acid
E122: Carmoisine
E123: Amaranth
E124: Ponceau 4R
E127: Erythosine
E128: Red 2G
E129: Allura Red
E131: Patent Blue
E133: Brillant Blue
E142: Green S
E151: Black
E153: Carbon black / Vegetable carbon
E154: Brown FK
E155: Chocolate Brown HT
E210: Benzoic acid
E211-E219: Benzoates
E220-E229: Sulphites
E230: Biphenyl
E231: 2-hydroxybiphenyl
E232: Sodium biphenyl-2-yl oxide
E233: Benzimidazole
E239: Hexamine
E249: Potassium Nitrate
E250: Sodium Nitrite
E251: Sodium Nitrate
E252: Potassium Nitrate
E355: Adipic Acid
E319: tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)
E320: Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
E321: Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
E621: Monosodium glutamate
E950: Acesulfame-K
E951: Aspartame - One of the most dangerous additives, must be avoided.
E952: Cyclamic Acid
E954: Saccharin

Note that Sodium Benzoate (E211) combined with any (or all) colours E102, E104, E110, E122, E124, and E129 can cause health problems, among other things increasing hyperactivity in affected children.

The list above is not an exhaustive list, but it does gives the E-numbers which must be avoided. By sticking to natural, fresh, seasonal, organic, and ideally locally produced ingredients, one avoids artificial additives and most importantly avoids harmful additives.

E-numbers which are likely to be from genetically engineered sources

There are several E-numbers which are likely to come from, or be derived from plants which have neen genetically engineered or genetically modified.

The list below shows E-numbers which are likely to be genetically engineered or genetically modified:

E322: (Soya) Lecithin - Can come from GM soya.
E101: Riboflavin / Vitamin B2 - Often GM in processed foods. Better off getting Riboflavin from natural sources such as leafy vegetables and dairy products to obtain Riboflavin naturally.
E101a: Riboflavin-5'-phosphate - Almost always GM.
E1103: Invertase - Genetically modified enzyme.
E479b: Thermally oxidized soya bean oil interacted with mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids - Can be made with GM soya.
E153: Vegetable Carbon - From burnt vegetable matter, which can be of GM origin.
E150: Caramel - Can come from maize / corn syrup, and the corn could be GM.
E471: Mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (Glyceryl Monostearate and Glyceryl Distearate) - normally obtained from hydrogenated soya bean oil which can come from GM soya. Note that hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils should always be avoided.
E160d: Lycopene - Only if the tomatoes the lycopene comes from is GM, although GM tomatoes are not approved in Europe. Better off eating tomatoes and grapefruit to obtain lycopene naturally.
E300: Vitamin C / Ascorbic Acid (synthetically produced only) - There is one method of synthetic production that involves GM, other methods do not. One is better off obtaining Vitamin C naturally by eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

A sure way of avoiding GM foods is to eat organic.

E-numbers which are (or likely to be) non-vegetarian and non-vegan

Several E-numbers can also be hidden non-vegetarian additives which are also non-vegan additives, these additives could also derived from animals whose consumption is forbidden for various individuals (for example beef or pork).

The following are definitely non-vegetarian and non-vegan.

E120: Cochineal / Carmine / Carminic Acid - Obtained from the Cochineal insect.
E441: Gelatin / Gelatine - Obtained from animal by-products. Often from pork, but can also be from beef (and often was before the BSE crisis), moving towards using fish gelatine.
E542: Edible Bone Phosphate - From animal bones. Mainly from pork (since the BSE crisis) but other animal bones can be used (including beef).
E1000: Cholic acid - Almost always extracted from beef bile.

The following may or may not be non-vegetarian and non-vegan:

E153: Carbon Black - Burnt matter, "Carbon Black" could be animal in origin, typically the bones. Note that Vegetable Carbon which is also E153, is from burnt vegetable matter (although it could be GM).
E160a: Alpha-Carotene, Beta-Carotene, Gamma-Carotene - The additive itself is suitable for vegetarians, but one needs to be careful as some food manufacturers could use the non-vegetarian additive Gelatine (E441) as a stabiliser for this additive.
E161: Canthaxanthin - Could be obtained from crustaceans and fish. However also from mushrooms, and normally produced commercially from beta-carotene.
E322: Lecithin - In some rare instances, lecithin could come from animal fat and/or organs. In practice it is most likely to be soya lecithin or egg lecithin, soya lecithin being by far the most common.
E430, E431, E435, E436: Stearates - These are four different salts of stearic acid, a type of fatty acid. Fatty acids can be either of animal (possibly pork or beef) or plant origin (which is more likely).
E432: Polyoxoethylene-20'-sorbitan monolaurate: A salt of lauric acid, a type of fatty acid. Fatty acids can be either of animal (possibly pork or beef) or plant origin (which is more likely).
E433: Polyoxoethylene-20'-sorbitan mono-oleate: A salt of oleic acid, a type of fatty acid. Fatty acids can be either of animal (any animal) or plant origin (which is more likely).
E434: Polyoxoethylene-20'-sorbitan monopalmitate: A salt of palmitic acid, a type of fatty acid. Fatty acids can be either of animal (possibly pork or beef) or plant origin (which is more likely).
E470: Fatty acid salts - Fatty acids and their salts can be of either of animal (can be pork or beef) or plant origin.
E471: Mono-and di-glycerides of fatty acids - Fatty acids and their salts can be of either of animal (can be pork or beef) or plant origin.
E472: Esters of mono- and diglycerides - The fatty acids used to produce these esters are mostly of plant origin, but can also be from animal fats too.
E473: Sugar esters of fatty acids - The fatty acids used to produce these esters are mostly of plant origin, but can also be from animal fats too.
E474: Sugar Glycerides - Mixture of sugar and fatty acids. The fatty acids could be of either plant or animal origin.
E475: Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids - The fatty acids could be of either plant or animal origin.
E477: Propylene Glycol esters of fatty acids - The fatty acids could be of either plant or animal origin. Propylene Glycol is also used to create this additive so beware.
E478: Mixture of glycerol- and propylene glycol esters of lactic acid and fatty acids: Fatty acids can be of either plant or animal origin. Propylene Glycol is also used to create this additive so beware.
E479: Esterified soya oil - Fatty acids used to esterify the soya oil can be of either plant or animal origin.
E481/E482: Sodium/Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate - Mixture of lactic acid (lactic acid is not derived from lactose and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans) and fatty acids (fatty acids can be of either plant or animal origin, and if animal origin there is a risk it could come from pork or beef).
E483: Stearyltartrate - Made from tartaric acid and stearic acid. Stearic acid is a type of fatty acid and can be of plant or animal (any animal) origin.
E484: Stearylcitrate - Made from citric acid and stearic acid. Stearic acid is a type of fatty acid and can be of plant or animal (any animal) origin.
E491-5: Combinations of sorbitol and fatty acids (Stearates of sorbitol) - Stearates are derived from stearic acid, a type of fatty acid which can either be of plant or animal origin (which could be pork or beef).
E570: Stearic acid - Stearic acid is a type of fatty acid which can be either plant or animal origin (and if animal origin, there is a risk of the origin being pork or beef).
E571-E573: Stearates: These are salts of stearic acid (E570). Stearic acid can be of either plant or animal origin (there is a risk this could be either pork or beef).
E626: Guanylic acid - Generally produced from yeasts, but can also be partly produced from fish.
E627-E629: Guanlyates - Salts of guanylic acid. Generally produced from yeasts, but can also be partly produced from fish.
E640i: Glycine - Can be produced from gelatin, derived from animal bones and other by-products.
E640ii: Sodium Glycinate - See above for E640i.
E904: Shellac - This is a secretion of a certain species of lice called the lac bug. This is definitely not vegan. This is only vegetarian provided the shellac resin is harvested as a residue and only if the lice still live after harvesting, this needs further investigation.
E920: L-Cysteine - This is an essential amino acid. L-Cysteine is derived from proteins including animal protein and animal (or sometimes human) hair. Beware that this can be obtained from animal sources (including pork or beef), so therefore might not be vegetarian. To avoid this, stick to wholemeal bread and products.

E-numbers which are (or likely to be) non-vegan

Some E-numbers refer to additives which are vegetarian, but not vegan. These E-numbers shown here are derived from cow's milk, sheep's wool, bees wax, or chicken eggs.

The following E-numbers are definitely non-vegan:

E901: Bees wax - Suitable for vegetarians, but not for vegans.
E913: Lanolin - A wax from sheep, excreted from the skin of the sheep, extracted from the wool. This is vegetarian but not vegan.
E966: Lactitol - An artificial carbohydrate alcohol derived from lactose (milk sugar). Does not contain ethanol (alcohol). Suitable for vegetarians but not suitable for vegans.
E1105: Lysozyme - An enzyme derived from chicken eggs.

E-numbers which may or may not be non-vegan:

E636: Maltol - Generally produced from bark or malt. Sometimes lactose from cow's milk is used to create maltol.
E637: Ethylmaltol - Produced from maltol (E636), which is generally produced from bark or malt. Sometimes lactose from cow's milk is used to create ethylmaltol.

The case for better labelling

The above shows that we need better food labelling, in particular the origin of the ingredients really needs to be stated, whether it is GM in origin, whether it is artificial, whether it is vegetarian or not, and given certain kinds of food can be taboo for various individuals it should be stated where the ingredients of animal origin comes from. In addition to this, it is good to know how the origin of the ingredients too (i.e. the countries they came from).

In addition, we would really benefit from seeing more information on the front. If foods contain additives marked as additives that can cause problems, then there could be a warning symbol and underneath that a list of allergens, additives (such as tartrazine). If food is not suitable for vegetarians for example then that should also be clearly stated (in cheeses this is not so obvious for example), symbolically ideally. Only if the food has no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives could that appear on the packaging. The need for better labelling is also explained here.

Regarding labelling, there has been some progress in the UK for vegetarians and vegans, as on several food labels in the UK there is in fact symbolic labelling for when a food is suitable for vegetarians and/or vegans (although there is often no symbol or indication when a cheese is not suitable for vegetarians for example) but a food really must be vegetarian and vegan or vegetarian to be labelled as such. Food approved by the Vegetarian Society and Vegan Society one can trust as being guaranteed vegetarian and vegan respectively, they will have their seal of approval on the product label on products they have approved.

Of course, to avoid the whole issue of E-numbers and artificial additives, it is best to eat organic, fresh, seasonal, and local where possible. And of course one has to eat sensibly and exercise regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle. However, vegetarians, vegans, and those who avoid certain foods will still need to read the label if necessary and be sure the food meets their dietary needs, even if the food is organic.

Summary

In this article, we have shown a list of the important E-numbers which must be avoided due to potential long term health effects, as well as those which are non-vegetarian, non-vegan, and those which are potentially non-vegetarian and/or non-vegan, and mentioned foods from animal sources which should be avoided by those who do not eat it.

For a more complete guide on E-numbers, I would recommend looking at the UK Food Guide on E-numbers, and on the Food-Info.net site, which has a complete list of E-numbers.

The UK Food Guide has a lot of information, including what additives do, which additives are not suitable for children, foods are linked with temper tantrums, the benefits of herbs and spices, and the UK Food Guide also mentions how eating fresh fruit and vegetables benefits us, and even gives a lists of foods helpful in improving our health, so the UK Food Guide site is well worth visiting.

Note that in addition to what is mentioned about the spice turmeric in the UK Food Guide, turmeric can also prevent Alzheimer's disease, as shown here, here, and here. Indeed in India it is common knowledge that turmeric (Hindi: हल्दी "haldi") is good for the brain. The active ingredient, Curcumin, has an E-number E100, but instead of the curcumin extract, one is better off using turmeric and whole turmeric (or turmeric powder if it is not easy to access whole turmeric) in cooking, as turmeric also has other minerals including iron, manganese, and potassium (all essential minerals), and also has Vitamin B6 and Dietary Fibre. In addition, turmeric is also easier to absorb by the body in its natural form.

As well as these links, there is also a lot of information on the internet regarding E-numbers as well.

To avoid the whole issue of E-numbers, and artificial additives, and also chemicals such as pesticides, one can simply eat natural, fresh, seasonal, organic, and ideally local produce. Otherwise one needs to read the label very carefully, and better labelling is also needed.