Allergic or Intolerant to Food?
Helps you establish whether you are reacting to food due to an allergy or an intolerance and provides you with all the details you need with a simple table.
Acids, Antioxidants & Salts E300-E385
Food acids are added to make flavours "sharper", and also act as preservatives and antioxidants. Common food acids include vinegar, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid.
| Number | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| E300 | Ascorbic acid | flour treating agent, 'vitamin C'; may be made synthetically from glucose, naturally occurs in fruit and vegetables; added to products as diverse as cured meat, breakfast cereals, frozen fish and wine |
| E301 | Sodium ascorbate | sodium salt of vitamin C |
| E302 | Calcium ascorbate | vitamin C, may increase the formation of calcium oxalate stones |
| E303 | Potassium ascorbate | potassium salt of vitamin C |
| E304 | Ascorbyl palmitate, Ascorbyl stearate | fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid, same function as E300 |
| E306, E307, E308, E309 |
Tocopherols, alpha, gamma, delta | 'vitamin E'; found in many vegetable oils, including soy, wheat germ, rice germ, cottonseed, maize; works as an antioxidant for fatty acids and tissue fats, preventing vitamin A from oxidation; used in margarine and salad dressings |
| E310 | Propyl gallate | used to prevent rancidity in oily substances; derived from nutgalls; may cause gastric or skin irritation, gallates are not permitted in foods for infants and small children because of their known tendency to cause the blood disorder, methaemoglobinemia; used in oils, margarine, lard and salad dressings, sometimes used in packaging |
| E311 | Octyl gallate | see 310 |
| E312 | Dodecyl gallate | see 310 |
| E317 | Erythorbic acid | produced from sucrose |
| E318 | Sodium erythorbate | produced from E317 |
| E319 | Tert-ButylHydroQuinone (TBHQ) | petroleum based; the HACSG* recommends to avoid it. May cause nausea, vomiting, delirium. A dose of 5g is considered fatal. Typical products are fats, oils, margarine |
| E320 | Butylated hydroxy-anisole (BHA) | petroleum derivative, retards spoilage due to oxidation; used in edible oils, chewing gum, fats, margarine, nuts, instant potato products, polyethylene food wraps; not permitted in infant foods, can provoke an allergic reaction in some people, may trigger hyperactivity and other intolerances; serious concerns over carcinogenicity and estrogenic effects, in large doses caused tumours in lab animals, banned in Japan in 1958, official committees of experts recommended that it be banned in the UK, however due to industry pressure it was not banned, McDonald's eliminated BHT from their US products by 1986, see also Butyl compounds |
| E321 | Butylated hydroxy-toluene (BHT) | petroleum derivative; see E320 |
| E322 | Lecithins | emulsifier derived from soy beans, egg yolks, peanuts, corn or animal resources; non toxic but overdose can upset the stomach, kill the appetite and cause profuse sweating; used to allow combination of oils in margarine, chocolate, mayonnaise, milk powder; must be chosen vegetable type |
| E325 | Sodium lactate | derived from milk (lactic acid); may contain pork
rennin or whey in process, young children with lactose intolerance may show adverse reactions |
| E326 | Potassium lactate | see 325 |
| E327 | Calcium lactate | see 325 |
| E328 | Ammonium lactate | see 325 |
| E329 | Magnesium lactate | see 325 |
| E330 | Citric acid | food acid, naturally derived from citrus fruit, used in biscuits, canned fish, cheese and processed cheese products, infant formulas, cake and soup mixes, rye bread, soft drinks, fermented meat products |
| E331 | Sodium citrates | food acid; no known adverse effects |
| E332 | Potassium citrates | food acid; no known adverse effects |
| E333 | Calcium citrates | food acid; no known adverse effects in small quantities |
| E334 | Tartaric acid | food acid, obtained from unripe fruit, grape juice; no known adverse effects in small quantities |
| E335 | Sodium tartrates | food acid; no known adverse effects |
| E336 | Potassium tartrates | food acid; no known adverse effects |
| E337 | Sodium potassium tartrate | food acid; no known adverse effects |
| E338 | Phosphoric acid | food acid, derived from phosphate ore; used in cheese
products; no known adverse effects |
| E339 | Sodium phosphates | mineral salt, used as a laxative and a fixing agent in textile dyeing; high intakes may upset the calcium/phosphorus equilibrium |
| E340 | Potassium phosphates | see 339 |
| E341 | Calcium phosphates | mineral salt found in rocks and bones; used in medicines as an antacid and polishing agent in enamels |
| E343 | Magnesium phosphates | essential mineral, anticaking agent found in salt substitutes |
| E350 | Sodium malates | no known adverse effects |
| E351 | Potassium malate | no known adverse effects |
| E352 | Calcium malates | no known adverse effects |
| E353 | Metatartaric acid | no known adverse effects |
| E354 | Calcium tartrate | seems safe |
| E355 | Adipic acid | food acid from the root adipose (pertaining to fat?) |
| E357 | Potassium adipate | no known adverse effects |
| E363 | Succinic acid | avoid it, banned in some countries |
| E3120 | Sodium fumarate | food acid, salt of fumaric acid (derived from plants of the genus Fumaria esp. F.officianalis) |
| E366 | Potassium fumarate | no known adverse effects |
| E367 | Calcium fumarate | no known adverse effects |
| E370 | 1,4-Heptonolactone | avoid it, banned in some countries |
| E375 | Niacin | vitamin B3; naturally occurs in bean, pea and other legumes, milk, egg, meat, poultry, and fish; at doses in excess of 1,000 mg per day can cause liver damage, diabetes, gastritis, eye damage, and elevated blood levels of uric acid (which can cause gout); at amounts as low as 50-100 mg may cause flushing (harmless but painful), headache, and stomach-ache especially if taken on an empty stomach |
| E380 | Tri-ammonium citrate | may interfere with liver and pancreas function |
| E381 | Ammonium ferric citrates | essential mineral, food acid derived from citric acid; used as a dietary iron supplement in breakfast cereals and dietary formulas |
| E385 | Calcium disodium EDTA | avoid it, banned in some countries |
* Hyperactive Children Support Group (HACSG)
** Food and Drug Administration (U.S.)
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