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.
Flavours & Flavour Enhancers E620-E640
Flavours are additives that give food a particular taste or smell, and may be derived from natural ingredients or created artificially.
Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) enhance a food's existing flavours. They are commonly added to commercially produced food products (e.g. frozen dinners, instant soups, snack foods) to make them taste more 'savoury'.
| Number | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| E620 | Glutamic acid | flavour enhancer, salt substitute; amino acid present in many animal and vegetable proteins, derived commercially from bacteria; might cause similar problems as MSG(621), young children should avoid it |
| E621 | Monosodium glutamate (MSG) | flavour enhancer derived from the fermentation of molasses, salt substitute; adverse effects appear in some asthmatic people, not permitted in foods for infants and young children; typical products are canned vegetables, canned tuna, dressings, many frozen foods |
| E622 | Monopotassium glutamate | can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps; typical products are low sodium salt substitutes |
| E623 | Calcium diglutamate | salt substitute, no known adverse effects |
| E624 | Monoammonium glutamate | salt substitute, no known adverse effects |
| E625 | Magnesium diglutamate | salt substitute, no known adverse effects |
| E626 | Guanylic acid | may trigger gout |
| E627 | Disodium guanylate | isolated from sardines or yeast extract; may trigger gout, not permitted in foods for infants and young children |
| E629 | Calcium guanylate | may trigger gout |
| E631 | Disodium inosinate | may be prepared from meat or sardines; may trigger gout, not permitted in foods for infants and young children |
| E633 | Calcium inosinate | may trigger gout |
| E635 | Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide | may be associated with itchy skin rashes up to 30 hours after ingestion; rashes may vary from mild to dramatic; the reaction is dose-related and cumulative, some individuals are more sensitive than others; typical foods include flavoured chips, instant noodles and party pies; avoid it, banned in some countries |
| E636 | Maltol | derived from the bark of larch trees, pine needles, chicory wood, oils and roasted malt; it may be produced synthetically |
| E637 | Ethyl maltol | derived from maltol |
| E640 | Glycine & its sodium salt | ? |
* Hyperactive Children Support Group (HACSG)
** Food and Drug Administration (U.S.)
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