Atlas of Human Biochemistry

Food additives

The additives found in the most food products, plus sweeteners and emulsifiers.

  1. Citric acid (E330)

    Identity, use, metabolism and regulation of citric acid (E330), with the evidence on tooth erosion, aluminium uptake and additive mixtures.

  2. Lecithins (E322)

    Composition, use, digestion to choline and TMAO, human and genetic evidence on cardiovascular risk, and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese rules for E322.

  3. Modified starches (E1404-E1452)

    Identity, use, digestion, colonic fermentation, cohort and trial evidence, and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese regulation of twelve modified food starches.

  4. Sodium carbonates (E500)

    Identity, use, intake, metabolism, trials and regulation of sodium carbonate, baking soda and sodium sesquicarbonate, the food additive E 500.

  5. Ascorbic acid (E300)

    Identity, use, absorption and breakdown to oxalate, evidence on iron, nitrosamines, kidney stones and benzene, and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese rules.

  6. Xanthan gum (E415)

    Structure, intake, bacterial degradation, feeding studies, infant case reports and the regulatory position of the thickener E415.

  7. Sodium nitrite (E250)

    Identity, use, intake, methaemoglobin and nitrosamine chemistry, cohort evidence on cancer and diabetes, and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese rules for E250.

  8. Diphosphates (E450)

    Identity, use, intake, absorption and renal excretion, human and cohort evidence, and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese rules for the food additive E 450.

  9. Pectins (E440)

    Structure, use, colonic fermentation, cholesterol and gastric-emptying evidence, infant safety and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese rules for pectins (E440).

  10. Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471)

    Identity, use, digestion, glycidyl ester contaminants, cohort evidence on cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and EU, US, Japanese and Chinese rules for E471.

  11. Sweeteners

    Chemistry, metabolism, taste receptor, trials, cohorts and intake limits of aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, saccharin, steviol glycosides and erythritol.

  12. Emulsifiers and the gut barrier

    Intake, digestion and evidence for carboxymethylcellulose, polysorbate 80, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides and lecithins.