E Numbers Revealed

Information about food additives including colours, preservatives and thickeners. Each article explains what specific E numbers do and where you'll find them.

Additives in Cigarettes

Cigarette manufacturers use over 600 additives to make smoking more addictive and appealing, making it harder for smokers to quit.

Blue Smarties Return Without E Numbers

Blue Smarties are back in tubes without the artificial colours and additives parents have worried about for decades.

Children's Sweets and E Numbers

Most children's sweets contain artificial colours and E numbers, but manufacturers are slowly responding to parents' concerns about what kids eat.

Complete List of ENumbers

Your quick reference guide to E number food additives used in the UK and EU, organized by what each code does.

E100: E199 Colours

What E numbers E100 to E199 mean and which food colourings are natural or artificial additives.

E1000: E1999 Additional Chemicals

E1000-E1999 additives are newer chemicals added to foods for various functions like thickening, stabilising and keeping products moist.

E200: E299 Preservatives

E200 to E299 are food preservatives that stop mould growth and extend shelf life, from natural salt and vinegar to synthetic additives.

E300: E399 Antioxidants and Acidity Regulators

E300 to E399 additives include antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, plus acidity regulators that preserve food quality and taste.

E400: E499 Thickeners, Stabilisers and Emulsifiers

A breakdown of E400-E499 food additives: what thickeners, stabilisers and emulsifiers actually do in your food.

E500: E599 Acidity Regulators and Anti-Caking Agents

See what E500 to E599 food additives do, from controlling acidity to preventing powder clumping in processed foods.

E600: E699 Flavour Enhancers

What flavour enhancers are, why food makers use them, and why MSG is so controversial.

E900: E999 Miscellaneous E Numbers

A breakdown of E900 to E999 additives, from anti-foaming agents and waxes to flour improvers and glazing agents.

Food Additives That Act as Xenoestrogens

Some common food additives mimic the hormone estrogen in your body, and researchers just identified two new ones to watch out for.