A guide to e-numbers for vegans

WHO ARE VEGANS?

The people who do not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish, fowl, or in some cases any food derived from animals sources such as eggs and dairy products, but consumes vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and foods derived from sources other than animals.

What are E-Numbers?

E numbers are codes for substances that are permitted to be used as food additives like colorants, flavorings, antioxidants, preservatives, stabilizers, thickeners, etc. E Numbers adhere to an international numbering system so that their use in food can be regulated.

Where do These E-Numbers come from?

Food additives are found in many foods. There are literally thousands of them. They can come from some really wonderful as well as some weird sources that we usually cannot imagine, and many are of plant and animal origins. In the food industry, these have to be declared in lists of ingredients on packaging, and are referred to as 'E numbers.' 

Why are E-Numbers added to Food?

One may wonder that why are so many E-numbers added to foods and drinks these days, but they are added for various reasons. Each additive which is referred to as E-number included in products plays a specific role. 

E-Numbers and Their Roles

There are several different types of E numbers, and each of them plays their own role in food, although some of them may play a prominent role while others play a subtle character. Understanding their role can make it much easier for you while shopping for food according to your requirements. 

Acidity Regulators: The E numbers that work as acidity regulators are used to alter and control the acid and alkaline levels in the foods.

Anti-Caking Agents: These E numbers helps the ingredients from coagulating or sticking together.

Anti-foaming Agents: These additives help to prevent or reduce foaming that happens in foods.

Antioxidants: These E numbers play the role of preserving foods. They help to prevent the effects that oxygen naturally had on food, by slowing down the decay of products.

Bulking Agents: These E numbers are added to foods to bulk them up and make them seem more filling.

Colors: These E numbers also called coloring agents are added to foods and drinks to help make them look more attractive and appealing, or to give foods their natural color that the ingredients lost while processing the food items.

Colour Retention Agents: As the name indicates these additives or E numbers are used to help preserve the natural color of food without adding artificial colorings.

Emulsifiers: These E numbers are included in the making of foods to ensure that when oil and water are mixed together, they stay together and don’t get separated. 

Flavorings: As the name depicts, these additives are used to enhance the flavor of foods. They are derived from both artificial or natural sources. They make food and drinks tasty and pleasant.

Flavour Enhancers: These E numbers work almost the same as flavors, but are used to enhance the already present taste and flavor of food. They can come from either artificial or natural sources.

Humectants: These E numbers or additives are included in foods to prevent it from drying out.

Flour Agents: These are used when flour is included as an ingredient like in baking products so, that they help to improve the color or look of flour when it is baked.

Preservatives: These additives are used to help preserve the life of products. As they help prevent food from decaying, growing fungi, or from other kinds of bacteria.

Stabilizers: They are added to the products to prevent them from separating. They are also added to foods as a gelling agent or thickener as they help products to gel together.

Sweeteners: As the name indicates, these additives are used to sweeten up the products. They are added to improve the taste and flavor of foods and drinks. Sweeteners are typically sugar-based, but low-calorie sweeteners are used to keep the calorie level of products lower than regular sugars.

Thickeners: These E numbers or additives are used in food items to improve the thickness and look of products.

E-Numbers Definitely Containing Animal Products/Derivatives

These are the additives that by all means, come from animals, so if you are strictly following the vegan diet, you must have to avoid them.

E120 – Cochineal (crushed scale of Dactylopius Coccus, a type of cactus beetle)

E441 – Gelatine (animal hoof/skin)

E542 – Bone Phosphate (Essentiale Calcium Phosphate, Tribasic)

E631 – Disodium inosinate (fish derivative)

E635 – Disodium ribonucleotides

E901 – Beeswax

E904 – Shellac (insect origin)

E966 – Lactitol (a milk derivative)

E1105 – Lysozyme (found in egg whites)

E-Numbers Possibly Containing Animal Products/Derivatives

Well, as we have already mentioned that E numbers are extracted from various sources. So some can be derived from both animal and plant sources.

E104 – Quinoline Yellow

E160 – Alpha-, beta-, gamma carotene

E161 – Canthaxanthin

E252 – Potassium Nitrate

E270 – Lactic Acid

E304 – Ascorbyl Palmitate

E304 – Ascorbyl Stearate

E322 – Lecithin (may be made from eggs)

E325 – Sodium Lactate

E326 – Potassium Lactate

E327 – Calcium Lactate

E422 – Glycerol/Glycerin

E430 – Polyoxyethylenes

E431 – Polyoxyethylenes

E432 – Polyoxyethylenes

E433 – Polyoxyethylenes

E434 – Polyoxyethylenes

E435 – Polyoxyethylenes

E436 – Polyoxyethylenes

E442 – Ammonium Phosphotides

E445 – Glycerol esters of wood resin

E470(a) – Sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids

E470(b) – Magnesium salts of fatty acids

E471 – Mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids

E472(a) – Acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

E472(b) – Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

E472(c) – Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

E472(d) – Tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

E472(e) – Mono- and di-acetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids

E472(f) – Mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids

E473 – contains fatty acids

E474 – Sucroglycerides

E475 – Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids

E476 – Polyglycerol esters of polycondensed fatty acids of castor oil

E477 – contains fatty acids

E479(b) – contains fatty acids

E481 – Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate

E482 – Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate

E483 – Stearyl tartrate

E491 – Sorbitan

E492 – Sorbitan

E493 – Sorbitan

E494 – Sorbitan

E495 – Sorbitan

E570 – Stearic acid

E585 – Ferrous Lactate

E640 – Glycine and its sodium salt

E920 – L-Cysteine and L-Cysteine hydrochloride

E1518 – Triacetin

E-Numbers Containing No Animal Products

As a vegan, you might want to know about those E numbers which are entirely safe for you to consume. So, here is the list of all types of additives that are derived from non-animal sources.

Food colorings	Preservatives	Antioxidants	Anti-Caking Agents	Flavor enhancers	Miscellaneous	Additional chemicals
E100 E101 E101a E102 E103 E104 E105 E106 E107 E110 E111 E121 E122 E123 E124 E125 E126 E127 E128 E129 E130 E131 E132 E133 E140 E141 E142 E143 E150a E150b E150c E150d E151 E152 E154 E155 E160a E160b E160c E160d E160e E160f E161a E161b E161c E161d E161e E161f E162 E163 E170 E171 E172 E173 E174 E175 E180 E181	E200 E201 E202 E203 E210 E211 E212 E213 E214 E215 E216 E217 E218 E219 E220 E221 E222 E223 E224 E225 E226 E227 E228 E230 E231 E232 E233 E234 E235 E236 E237 E238 E239 E240 E242 E249 E250 E251 E260 E261 E262 E263 E264 E280 E281 E282 E283 E284 E285 E290 E296 E297	E300 E301 E302 E303 E304 E306 E307 E308 E309 E310 E311 E312 E315 E316 E317 E318 E319 E320 E321 E329 E330 E331 E332 E333 E334 E335 E336 E337 E338 E339 E340 E341 E343 E350 E351 E352 E353 E354 E355 E356 E357 E363 E365 E366 E367 E370 E375 E380 E381 E385 E400 E401 E402 E403 E404 E405 E406 E407 E407a E410 E412 E413 E414 E415 E416 E417 E418 E420 E421 E425 E440 E444 E445 E450 E451 E452 E459 E460 E461 E462 E463 E464 E465 E466 E468 E469	E500 E501 E503 E504 E507 E508 E509 E510 E511 E512 E513 E517 E518 E519 E520 E521 E522 E523 E524 E525 E526 E527 E528 E529 E530 E535 E536 E538 E540 E541 E543 E544 E545 E550 E551 E552 E553b E554 E555 E556 E558 E559 E574 E575 E576 E577 E578 E579 E585	E620 E621 E622 E623 E624 E625 E626 E628 E629 E630 E632 E633 E634 E636 E637	E900 E902 E903 E905 E905a E905b E905c E906 E907 E908 E912 E914 E915 E922 E923 E924 E925 E926 E927 E297b E928 E930 E938 E939 E940 E941 E942 E943a E943b E944 E948 E949 E950 E951 E952 E953 E954 E955 E957 E959 E965 E966 E967 E999	E1103 E1105 E1106 E1107 E1108 E1109 E1110 E1111 E1112 E1113 E1114 E1115 E1116 E1117 E1118 E1119 E1120 E1121 E1122 E1123 E1124 E1125 E1126 E1127 E1128 E1129 E1130 E1131 E1132 E1133 E1134 E1135 E1136 E1137 E1138 E1139 E1140 E1141 E1142 E1143 E1144 E1145 E1146 E1147 E1148 E1149 E1150 E1151 E1152 E1153 E1154 E1155 E1156 E1157 E1158 E1159 E1160 E1161 E1162 E1163 E1164 E1165 E1166 E1167 E1168 E1169 E1170 E1171 E1172 E1173 E1174 E1175 E1176 E1177 E1178 E1179 E1180 E1181 E1182 E1183 E1184 E1185 E1186 E1187 E1188 E1189 E1190 E1191 E1192 E1193 E1194 E1195 E1196 E1197 E1198 E1199 E1200 E1201 E1202 E1400 E1401 E1402 E1403 E1404 E1410 E1412 E1413 E1414 E1420 E1421 E1422 E1430 E1440 E1441 E1442 E1450 E1451 E1505 E1510 E1518 E1520