E1000 - E1999 Additional Chemicals

E numbers with a prefix from E1000 to E1999 fall into the additional chemicals category. Here we look at what all these chemicals are and the role they play.

The additional chemicals category encompasses a range of E numbers that play a variety of different functions. The category was partly created to account for new chemicals that were designed or included in foods after the original lists were created and partly for those that weren’t assigned an E number previously. Like other additives, they’re each included in foods and drinks for a specific purpose – either one particular role, or several roles.

For example, E1200 (polydextrose) is both a stabiliser, thickening agent, humectant and carrier and E1450 (starch sodium octenyl succinate) is an emulsifier, stabiliser and thickening agent. If you haven’t come across the term humectant before, in the case of food additives, this means that the chemical helps to keep the food moist.

Complete Reference Guide to Additional Chemicals

The following offers a useful reference guide to all the additional chemicals commonly used in foods and drinks. Where possible, the exact role of each additional chemical is listed below.

If you’re keen to avoid products with certain E numbers in them, then you could print out this list and take it shopping with you. It is worth bearing in mind that the ingredients and contents of foods and drinks can change over time, as manufacturers try out new recipes or make improvements to their products. So if you are determined to avoid buying certain products with these E numbers in, it’s well worth keeping an eye on the food labels to check for any changes in production. Sometimes manufacturers will add labels such as, “New and improved,” which will help make changes clearer, but on other occasions new ingredients will be quietly slipped in without making a big mention of it.

• E1103 Invertase – a stabiliser
• E1105 Lysozyme – a preservative
• E1200 Polydextrose – a stabiliser, thickening agent, humectant and carrier
• E1201 Polyvinylpyrrolidone – a stabiliser
• E1202 Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone – a stabiliser and carrier
• E1204 Pullulan
• E1401 Modified starch – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1402 Alkaline modified starch – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1403 Bleached starch – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1404 Oxidised starch – an emulsifier and thickening agent
• E1410 Monostarch phosphate – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1412 Distarch phosphate – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1413 Phosphated distarch phosphate – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1414 Acetylated distarch phosphate – an emulsifier and thickening agent
• E1420 Acetylated starch, mono starch acetate – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1422 Acetylated distarch adipate – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1430 Distarch glycerine – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1440 Hydroxy propyl starch – an emulsifier and thickening agent
• E1441 Hydroxy propyl starch – an emulsifier and thickening agent
• E1442 Hydroxy propyl distarch phosphate – a stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1450 Starch sodium octenyl succinate – an emulsifier, stabiliser and thickening agent
• E1451 Acetylated oxidised starch – an emulsifier and thickening agent
• E4152 Starch aluminium octenyl succinate
• Polyethylene glycol 6000
• E1505 Triethyl citrate – a foam stabiliser
• E1510 Ethanol
• E1518 Glyceryl triacetate; triacetin – a humectant
• E1520 Propan-1,2-diol; propylene glycol – a humectant