Food Additives - E Numbers
E Numbers are a specific numbering system to identify food additives used in food industry. These E Numbers are not formulated based on Sources of Food additives. Same E Number is assigned to a food additive derived from a Halal source or Haraam source. Halal status of a food additive cannot be decided based only on the E Number. It would be difficult for the common person to distinguish what is Halal.
Therefore, there is a need for a stringent screening of the raw materials used for respective status
The E numbers are categorized as follows:
- E 100 – E 199 (Colours)
- E 200 – E 299 (Preservatives)
- E 300 – E 399 (Antioxidants, Acidity Regulators)
- E 400 – E 499 (Thickeners, Stabilizers, Emulsifiers)
- E 500 – E 599 (Acidity Regulators, Anti-Caking Agents)
- E 600 – E 699 (Flavour Enhancers)
- E 900 – E 999 (Surface Coating Agents, Gases, Sweeteners)
- E 1000 – E 1999 (Additional Chemicals)
Only ingredients classified as additives have an E Code Number. Naturally occurring ingredients do not eg: Gelatine, sugar, whey etc
| Serial # | Food Additive | Functions | Islamic Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Acetic acid 260 |
Acidulent, preservative, flavoring agent |
 |
|
2 |
Adipic acid 355 |
Acidulent, flavoring agent |
|
|
3 |
Agar 406 |
Gelling agent |
|
|
4 |
Albumin |
Protein fortifier, binder |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
5 |
Algin 400 |
Thickening, binding & gelling agent |
|
|
6 |
Annatto 160B |
Color |
|
|
7 |
Artificial colour/flavour Many types |
Adds color and/or flavor Many Numbers |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
8 |
Ascorbic acid 300 |
Vitamin C, dough conditioner, antioxidant |
|
|
9 |
Aspartame 951 |
Sweetener |
|
|
10 |
Benzoic acid 210 |
Preservative |
|
|
11 |
Beta carotene 160 |
Colorant, Vitamin A |
|
|
12 |
BHA Butylated Hydroxy anisole 320 |
Antioxidant |
|
|
13 |
BHT Butylated Hydroxytoluene 321 |
Antioxidant |
|
|
14 |
Caffeine |
Beverage additive |
|
|
15 |
Calcium caseinate |
Protein fortifier, binding agent, whipping agent |
|
|
16 |
Calcium propionate 282 |
Preservative, mold inhibitor |
|
|
17 |
Calcium silicate 552 |
Anti-caking agent |
|
|
18 |
Calcium steamroll lactylate 482 |
Whipping agent, dough conditioner, emulsifier |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
19 |
Calcium sulfate 516 |
Calcium source, filler, firming agent |
|
|
20 |
Caramel 150 |
Colorant |
|
|
21 |
Carrageenan 407 |
Stabiliser, gelling agent |
|
|
22 |
Citric acid 330 |
Acidulent, antioxidant |
|
|
23 |
Cornstarch |
Thickener |
|
|
24 |
Dextrin 1400 |
Adhesive, flavor carrier |
|
|
25 |
Diammonium phosphate |
Leavening agent |
|
|
26 |
Dipotassium phosphate |
Emulsifier, buffering agent |
|
|
27 |
Disodium guanylate/627 Inosinate 631 |
Flavor enhancers |
|
|
28 |
EDTA |
Sequestrant |
|
|
29 |
Enzymes |
Active additives |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
30 |
Erythorbic acid 315 |
Preservative |
|
|
31 |
Ethyl alcohol |
Extracting agent |
 |
|
32 |
Ferric orthophosphate |
Food supplement |
|
|
33 |
Ferrous fumarate |
Food supplement |
|
|
34 |
Ferrous gluconate 579 |
Food supplement |
|
|
35 |
Fumaric acid 297 |
Acidulent |
|
|
36 |
Gelatin |
Gelling agent |
Questionable ( 3 ) |
|
37 |
Glutamic acid |
Flavor enhancers |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
38 |
Glycerin 422 |
Humectant, crystallization modifier, plasticizer |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
39 |
Glyceryl monolaurate 445 |
Emulsifier |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
40 |
Glycine 640 |
Dietary supplement, rancidity retardant |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
41 |
Guar gum 41 |
Stabiliser, thickening agent |
|
|
42 |
Gum base many types |
Gum |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
43 |
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) |
Flavour enhancer |
|
|
44 |
Isopropyl citrate |
Antioxidant |
|
|
45 |
Lactic acid 270 |
Adjusts acidity, flavoring agent, preservative |
|
|
46 |
Lactylated fatty acid esters 472 |
Emulsifiers |
Questionable( 1 ) |
|
47 |
Lard |
Hog/ Pig fat |
|
|
48 |
Lecithin (soy) 322 |
Emulsifier, dough stabilizer, anti-sticking agent, viscosity reducer, wetting agent |
|
|
49 |
Magnesium stearate |
Lubricant, binder, emulsifier, anticaking agent |
Questionable( 1 ) |
|
50 |
Maltodextrin 965 |
Texturizer, crystallisation inhibitor, bulking agent |
|
|
51 |
Methylcellulose 465 |
Thickener |
|
|
52 |
Methylsalycylate |
Flavoring agent |
|
|
53 |
Monoglyceride and Diglyceride 471 |
Emulsifiers, dough conditioners, texture improvers |
Questionable( 1 ) |
|
54 |
Mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) 621 |
Flavor enhancer |
|
|
55 |
Oleoresins Oil Resins |
Color and flavour additives |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
56 |
Oxystearin |
Crystallization inhibitor, release agent |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
57 |
Pectin 440 |
Gelling agent |
|
|
58 |
Phosphoric acid 338 |
Acidulent |
|
|
59 |
Polysorbates 433,435,436 |
Emulsifiers |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
60 |
Potassium citrate 332 |
Sequestrant and buffering agent |
|
|
61 |
Potassium sorbate |
Preservative |
|
|
62 |
Potassium stearate |
Binder, emulsifier, plasticizer in chewing gum base |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
63 |
Propyl gallate 310 |
Antioxidant |
|
|
64 |
Propylene glycol 1520 |
Humectant, solvent |
|
|
65 |
Propylene glycol alginate 405 |
Thickener, stabiliser, emulsifier |
|
|
66 |
Propylene glycol monostearate 477 |
Dispersing aid, crystal stabilizer, aeration increaser |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
67 |
Rennet |
Milk coagulant used primarily in cheese |
Questionable ( 4 ) |
|
68 |
Saccharine |
Sweetener |
|
|
69 |
Shortening |
Animal or vegetable fats or oils |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
70 |
Silicon dioxide 551 |
Anticaking |
|
|
71 |
Sodium acid pyrophosphate |
Leavening agent, preservative, sequestrant |
|
|
72 |
Sodium alginate 401 |
Thickener, binder, gelling agent |
|
|
73 |
Sodium ascorbate 301 |
Antioxidant, nutrient |
|
|
74 |
Sodium benzoate 211 |
Preservative |
|
|
75 |
Sodium bicarbonate 500 |
Leavening agent |
|
|
76 |
Sodium caseinate |
Protein fortifier, emulsifier, binding agent, whipping agent |
|
|
77 |
Sodium citrate 331 |
Sequestrant |
|
|
78 |
Sodium erythorbate 316 |
Antioxidant |
|
|
79 |
Sodium hexametaphos-phate 339 |
Binding agent |
|
|
80 |
Sodium lauryl sulfate 481 |
Whipping agent, emulsifier |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
81 |
Sodium nitrate 251 |
Antimicrobial agent, preservative |
|
|
82 |
Sodium nitrite 250 |
Antimicrobial agent, preservative |
|
|
83 |
Sodium propionate 281 |
Preservative |
|
|
84 |
Sodium silico aluminate 554 |
Anticaking and conditioning agent |
|
|
85 |
Sodium stearate 481 |
Binder, emulsifier, anticaking agent |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
86 |
Sodium sulfite 221 |
Preservative |
|
|
87 |
Sorbitan monostearate 491 |
Emulsifier, surfactant, dispersant |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
88 |
Sorbitol 420 |
Humectant |
|
|
89 |
Stannous chloride 512 |
Antioxidant, preservative |
|
|
90 |
Stearic acid 570 |
Lubricant, binder, defoamer |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
91 |
Stearoyl lactylate |
Dough conditioner, emulsifier, whipping agent |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
92 |
Sulfur dioxide 220 |
Preservative, anti-microbial |
|
|
93 |
Tallow |
Animal fat |
Questionable ( 1 ) |
|
94 |
Tartaric acid 334 |
Flavour enhancer, acidulent |
|
|
95 |
Titanium dioxide 171 |
Colouring agent |
|
|
96 |
Vanilla |
Flavourant |
Questionable ( 2 ) |
|
97 |
Vanillin |
Flavourant |
Questionable ( 2 ) |
|
98 |
Vinegar |
Acidulent, flavourant |
|
|
99 |
Whey |
Source of lactose, milk solids, whey proteins |
Questionable ( 4 ) |
|
100 |
Yeast |
Leavening and fermenting agent |
|
|
101 |
Zein |
Coating agent |
|
Source may be derived from, or contain ingredients of, animal origin.
May contain ethyl alcohol which is haram.
May be derived from pork. If gelatin is from fish or halal-slaughtered animals, it is halal.
Rennet and other enzymes may come from non-halal slaughtered animals. Whey, a cheese by-product, may be derived from milk curdled with questionable rennet or enzymes.
Allah ( SWT) knows best.
Source: IFANCA HALAL STANDARD
