What does an E number mean?

An E number is a code given to a food additive that has been assessed and approved for use in the EU. The E prefix shows it passed safety evaluation. The number identifies the specific substance, and its leading digit hints at the additive's function.

How is the numbering organised?

The bands are broadly: E100s are colours, E200s preservatives, E300s antioxidants and acidity regulators, E400s thickeners and emulsifiers, E500s acidity regulators and anti-caking agents, E600s flavour enhancers, E900s glazing agents, gases and sweeteners, and E1000+ additional chemicals like modified starches.

Monosodium glutamate is an approved flavour enhancer (E621) and is considered safe at normal dietary levels by EU and other food safety authorities. Some people report sensitivity, but it carries an E number because it has been formally assessed.

Do E numbers ever get removed?

Yes. Approval can be withdrawn if new evidence emerges. For example E171 (titanium dioxide) was banned as a food additive in the EU in 2022. Always check the current EU additives register for the live status of any code.

Does this tool use the internet?

No. The additive table ships with the page and all searching runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, logged or stored.

E Number Additive Reference

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Decoding the E numbers on an ingredients list

E numbers are the codes for food additives approved for use across the EU and retained in UK law. The E prefix marks an assessed, approved substance, and the number identifies exactly which one. This searchable reference maps common E numbers to their plain name and function, and explains the numbering bands so a leading digit tells you roughly what the additive does.

How it works

Additives are grouped into numeric bands by function, and each substance gets a specific number within its band:

E100–E199   Colours                 (E102 Tartrazine, E160a Beta-carotene)
E200–E299   Preservatives           (E211 Sodium benzoate, E250 Sodium nitrite)
E300–E399   Antioxidants / acidity  (E300 Vitamin C, E330 Citric acid)
E400–E499   Thickeners / emulsifiers(E415 Xanthan gum, E471 Mono-diglycerides)
E900–E999   Glazing / sweeteners    (E951 Aspartame, E960 Stevia)

Search filters across the code, the common name and the category at once, so a query like sweetener or preservative lists every matching additive.

Tips and notes

The leading digit is a quick hint: a 1xx is almost always a colour, a 6xx a flavour enhancer.
Some additives sit in more than one role (E330 citric acid is both an acidity regulator and an antioxidant).
An E number is not a verdict on healthiness — it only means the additive is approved.
Approvals change; titanium dioxide (E171) was banned in the EU in 2022, so always check the current register.