This is an alphabetical list of food additives. For related lists, see also: List of food additives, Codex Alimentarius and E number.
- This article is incomplete. Please help by expanding it.
Caffeine and other GRAS (generally recognized as safe) additives such as sugar and salt are not required to go through the regulation process.
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- Abietic acid -
- Acacia vera -
- Acacia -
- Acesulfame potassium - artificial sweetener
- Acesulfame -
- Acetic acid - acidity regulator
- Acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Acetylated distarch adipate - thickener, vegetable gum
- Acetylated distarch phosphate - thickener, vegetable gum
- Acetylated oxidised starch - thickener, vegetable gum
- Acetylated starch - thickener, vegetable gum
- Acid treated starch - thickener, vegetable gum
- Adipic acid - food acid
- Agar - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent
- Alcohol -
- Alfalfa -
- Alginic acid - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Alitame - artificial sweetener
- Alkaline treated starch - thickener, vegetable gum
- Alkanet - color (red)
- Allspice -
- Allura red AC - color (FDA: FD&C Red #40)
- Almond oil - used as a substitute for olive oil. Also used as an emollient.
- Aluminium - color (silver)
- Aluminium ammonium sulfate - mineral salt
- Aluminium potassium sulfate - mineral salt
- Aluminium silicate - anti-caking agent
- Aluminium sodium sulfate - mineral salt
- Aluminium sulfate - mineral salt
- Amaranth - color (red) (FDA: [DELISTED] Red #2) Note that amaranth dye is unrelated to the amaranth plant
- Amaranth oil - high in squalene and unsaturated fatty acids - used in food and cosmetic industries.
- Amchur (mango powder)
- Ammonium acetate - preservative, acidity regulator
- Ammonium adipates - acidity regulator
- Ammonium alginate - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Ammonium bicarbonate - mineral salt
- Ammonium carbonate - mineral salt
- Ammonium chloride - mineral salt
- Ammonium ferrocitrate - food acid
- Ammonium fumarate - food acid
- Ammonium hydroxide - mineral salt
- Ammonium lactate - food acid
- Ammonium malate - food acid
- Ammonium phosphates - mineral salt
- Ammonium phosphatides - emulsifier
- Ammonium polyphosphates - anti-caking agent
- Ammonium sulfate - mineral salt, improving agent
- Amylases - flour treatment agent
- Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
- Anise -
- Annatto - color
- Anthocyanins - color
- Apricot oil - a cooking oil from certain cultivars.
- Arabinogalactan - thickener, vegetable gum
- Argan oil - a food oil from Morocco that has also attracted recent attention in Europe.
- Argon - propellant
- Rocket (Arugula)
- Asafoetida -
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) - antioxidant (water soluble)
- Ascorbyl palmitate - antioxidant (fat soluble)
- Ascorbyl stearate - antioxidant (fat soluble)
- Aspartame - artificial sweetener
- Astaxanthin - color
- Avocado oil - used a substitute for olive oil. Also used in cosmetics and skin care products.
- Azodicarbonamide - flour bleaching agent. Also used in the production of foamed plastics and the manufacture of gaskets. Banned as a food additive in Australia and Europe.
- Azorubine - color (red) (FDA: Ext D&C Red #10)
- Cacao shell -
- Cachou extract -
- Cactus root extract -
- Cadinene -
- Caffeine - stimulant
- Cajeput oil -
- Calamus -
- Calcium 5'-ribonucleotides - flavor enhancer
- Calcium acetate - preservative, acidity regulator
- Calcium alginate - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Calcium ascorbate - antioxidant (water soluble)
- Calcium aluminosilicate (calcium aluminium silicate) - anti-caking agent
- Calcium ascorbate (Vitamin C)
- Calcium benzoate - preservative
- Calcium bisulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Calcium carbonates - color (white), anticaking agent, stabiliser
- Calcium chloride - mineral salt
- Calcium citrates - food acid, firming agent
- Calcium diglutamate - flavor enhancer
- Calcium disodium EDTA - preservative
- Calcium ferrocyanide - anti-caking agent
- Calcium formate - preservative
- Calcium fumarate - food acid
- Calcium gluconate - acidity regulator
- Calcium guanylate - flavor enhancer
- Calcium hydrogen sulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Calcium hydroxide - mineral salt
- Calcium inosinate - flavor enhancer
- Calcium lactate - food acid
- Calcium lactobionate - stabilizer
- Calcium malates - food acid
- Calcium oxide - mineral salt
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- Calcium peroxide -
- Calcium phosphates - mineral salt, anti-caking agent, firming agent
- Calcium polyphosphates - anti-caking agent
- Calcium propionate - preservative
- Calcium salts of fatty acids - emulsifier, stabiliser, anti-caking agent
- Calcium silicate - anti-caking agent
- Calcium sorbate - preservative
- Calcium stearoyl lactylate - emulsifier
- Calcium sulfate - flour treatment agent, mineral salt, sequestrant, improving agent, firming agent
- Calcium sulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Calcium tartrate - food acid, emulsifier
- False flax oil made of the seeds of Camelina sativa - available in Russia as ????????? ?????. Considered promising as a food or fuel oil.
- Camomile -
- Candelilla wax - glazing agent
- Candle nut -
- Canola oil/Rapeseed oil, one of the most widely used cooking oils, from a (trademarked) cultivar of rapeseed.
- Canthaxanthin - color
- Caper (Capparis spinosa)
- Capsanthin - color
- Capsorubin - color
- Caramel I (plain) - color (brown and black)
- Caramel II (Caustic Sulfite process) - color (brown and black)
- Caramel III (Ammonia process) - color (brown and black)
- Caramel IV (Ammonia sulfite process) - color (brown and black)
- Caraway -
- Carbamide - flour treatment agent
- Carbon black - color (brown and black)
- Carbon dioxide - acidity regulator, propellant
- Cardamom -
- Carmoisine - color (red) (FDA: Ext D&C Red #10)
- Carnauba wax - glazing agent
- Carob Pod -
- Carob pod oil/Algaroba oil, used medicinally.
- Carotenes - color
- Carrageenan - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Carrot oil -
- Cashew oil - somewhat comparable to olive oil. May have value for fighting dental cavities. [1]
- Cassia -
- Catechu extract -
- Celery salt -
- Celery seed -
- Wheat germ oil - used as a food supplement, and for its "grainy" flavor. Also used medicinally. Highly unstable.
- Chalk - color (white), anticaking agent, stabiliser
- Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) -
- Chicory -
- Chile pepper -
- Chili powder -
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) -
- Chlorine dioxide - flour treatment agent
- Chlorine - flour treatment agent
- Chlorophylls and Chlorophyllins - color (green)
- Chocolate Brown HT - color
- Choline salts and esters - emulsifier
- Chrysoine resorcinol - color (red)
- Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
- Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
- Cilantro (see Coriander) (Coriandrum sativum)
- Cinnamon -
- Cinnamon oil - used for flavoring.
- Citranaxanthin - color
- Citric acid - food acid
- Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Citrus red 2 - color (red)
- Cloves -
- Cochineal - color (red)
- Coconut oil - a cooking oil, high in saturated fat - particularly used in baking and cosmetics.
- Sage (Salvia officinalis) -
- Copper complexes of chlorophylls - color (green)
- Coriander -
- Coriander seed oil - used medicinally. Also used as a flavoring agent in pharmaceutical and food industries.
- Corn oil - one of the most common, and inexpensive cooking oils.
- Corn syrup -
- Cottonseed oil - a major food oil, often used in industrial food processing.
- Cress -
- carmines - color (red)
- Crocetin - color
- Crocin - color
- Crosslinked Sodium carboxymethylcellulose - emulsifier
- Cryptoxanthin - color
- Cumin -
- Cumin oil/Black seed oil - used as a flavor, particularly in meat products. Also used in veterinary medicine.
- Cupric sulfate - mineral salt
- Curcumin - color (yellow and orange)
- Curry powder -
- Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) -
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) -
- Cyclamates - artificial sweetener
- Cyclamic acid - artificial sweetener
- beta-cyclodextrin - emulsifier
- Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus, C. flexuosus, and other species) -
- Galangal -
- Galangal root -
- Galbanum oil -
- Gallic acid -
- Gamma-tocopherol(synthetic) - antioxidant
- Garam masala -
- Garlic extract -
- Garlic -
- Garlic oil -
- Gelatin -
- gelatine (not classified as an additive) - Gelling agent, emulsifier
- Gellan gum - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, emulsifier
- Ginger -
- Ginger oil -
- Ginger root -
- Ginseng -
- Glacial Acetic acid - preservative, acidity regulator
- Glucitol -
- Gluconate -
- Glucono-delta-lactone - acidity regulator
- Glucose oxidase - antioxidant
- Glucose syrup - sweetener
- Glutamate -
- Glutamic acid - flavor enhancer
- Gluten -
- Glycerin - humectant, sweetener
- Glycerol -
- Glycerol esters of wood rosin - emulsifier
- Glyceryl distearate - emulsifier
- Glyceryl monostearate - emulsifier
- Glycine - flavor enhancer
- Glyoxylic acid -
- Gold - color (gold)
- Grains of paradise -
- Grape color extract -
- Grape seed oil - suitable for cooking at high temperatures. Also used as a salad oil, and in cosmetics.
- Green S - color (green)
- Green tea -
- Guanylic acid - flavor enhancer
- Guar gum - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer
- Guaranine -
- Gum acacia - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, emulsifier
- Gum arabic - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, emulsifier
- Gum guaicum - preservative
- Macadamia oil - used as an edible oil. Also used as a massage oil.
- Mace -
- Magnesium -
- Magnesium carbonate - anti-caking agent, mineral salt
- Magnesium chloride - mineral salt
- Magnesium citrate - acidity regulator
- Magnesium diglutamate - flavor enhancer
- Magnesium hydroxide - mineral salt
- Magnesium lactate - food acid
- Magnesium oxide - anti-caking agent
- Magnesium phosphates - mineral salt, anti-caking agent
- Magnesium salts of fatty acids - emulsifier, stabiliser, anti-caking agent
- Magnesium silicate - anti-caking agent
- Magnesium stearate - emulsifier, stabiliser
- Magnesium sulfate - mineral salt, acidity regulator, firming agent
- Mahlab -
- Malabathrum -
- Malic acid - acidity regulator
- Malt extract -
- Maltitol - humectant, stabiliser
- Maltodextrin - carbohydrate sweetener
- Maltol - flavor enhancer
- Maltose -
- Mandarin oil
- Manganese -
- Mannitol - humectant, anti-caking agent, sweetener
- Margarine -
- Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
- Mastic -
- Meadowfoam seed oil - highly stable oil, with over 98% long-chain fatty acids. Competes with rapeseed oil for industrial applications. [3]
- Mentha arvensis oil/Mint oil, used in flavoring toothpastes, mouthwashes and pharmaceuticals, as well as in aromatherapy and other medicinal applications. [4]
- Metatartaric acid - food acid, emulsifier
- Methionine -
- Methyl butyrate -
- Methyl disulfide -
- Methyl ethyl cellulose - thickener, vegetable gum, emulsifier
- Methyl hexenoate -
- Methyl isobutyrate -
- Methylcellulose - thickener, emulsifier, vegetable gum
- Methylparaben (methyl para-hydroxybenzoate) - preservative
- Methyltheobromine -
- Microcrystalline cellulose - anti-caking agent
- Milk thistle (Silybum) -
- Milk -
- Mint (Mentha spp.) -
- Mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Modified starch -
- Molasses extract -
- Molybdenum -
- Bergamot (Monarda didyma) -
- Mono- and diglycerides of Fatty acids - emulsifier
- Monoammonium glutamate - flavor enhancer
- Monopotassium glutamate - flavor enhancer
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) - flavor enhancer
- Monostarch phosphate - thickener, vegetable gum
- Montanic acid esters - humectant
- Mullien (Verbascum thapsus)
- Mustard -
- Mustard oil (essential oil), containing a high percentage of allyl isothiocyanate or other isothiocyanates, depending on the species of mustard
- Mustard oil (pressed) - used in India as a cooking oil. Also used as a massage oil.
- Mustard plant -
- Mustard seed -
- Palm oil - the most widely produced tropical oil. Also used to make biofuel.
- Panax ginseng -
- Panax quinquefolia -
- Ponch phoran -
- Pandan leaf -
- Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) -
- Paprika -
- Paprika extract -
- Paraffins - glazing agent
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) -
- Patent blue V - color (blue)
- Peanut oil/Ground nut oil - mild-flavored cooking oil.
- Pecan oil - valued as a food oil, but requiring fresh pecans for good quality oil. [7]
- Pectin - vegetable gum, emulsifier
- Perilla seed oil - high in omega-3 fatty acids. Used as an edible oil, for medicinal purposes, in skin care products and as a drying oil.
- Phosphated distarch phosphate - thickener, vegetable gum
- Phosphoric acid - food acid
- Phytic acid - preservative
- Pigment Rubine - color
- Pimaricin - preservative
- Pine needle oil
- Pine seed oil - an expensive food oil, used in salads and as a condiment. [8]
- Pistachio oil - strongly flavored oil, particularly for use in salads. [9]
- Prune kernel oil - marketed as a gourmet cooking oil [10]
- Poly vinyl pyrrolidone -
- Polydextrose - humectant
- Polyethylene glycol 8000 - antifoaming agent
- Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Polyglycerol polyricinoleate - emulsifier
- Polymethylsiloxane - antifoaming agent
- Polyoxyethylene (40) stearate - emulsifier
- Polyoxyethylene (8) stearate - emulsifier, stabilizer
- Polyphosphates - mineral salt, emulsifier
- Polysorbate 20 - emulsifier
- Polysorbate 40 - emulsifier
- Polysorbate 60 - emulsifier
- Polysorbate 65 - emulsifier
- Polysorbate 80 - emulsifier
- Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone - color stabiliser
- Pomegranate seeds (though some consider these a fruit, not a spice)
- Ponceau 4R - color (FDA: Ext D&C Red #8)
- Ponceau 6R - color
- Ponceau SX - color
- Poppy seed -
- Poppyseed oil - used for cooking, moisturizing skin, and in paints, varnishes and soaps.
- Potassium acetates - preservative, acidity regulator
- Potassium adipate - food acid
- Potassium alginate - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Potassium aluminium silicate - anti-caking agent
- Potassium ascorbate - antioxidant (water soluble)
- Potassium benzoate - preservative
- Potassium bicarbonate - mineral salt
- Potassium bisulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Potassium bromate - flour treatment agent
- Potassium carbonate - mineral salt
- Potassium chloride - mineral salt
- Potassium citrates - food acid
- Potassium ferrocyanide - anti-caking agent
- Potassium fumarate - food acid
- Potassium gluconate - stabiliser
- Potassium hydrogen sulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Potassium hydroxide - mineral salt
- Potassium lactate - food acid
- Potassium malate - food acid
- Potassium metabisulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Potassium nitrate - preservative, color fixative
- Potassium nitrite - preservative, color fixative
- Potassium phosphates - mineral salt
- Potassium propionate - preservative
- Potassium salts of fatty acids - emulsifier, stabiliser, anti-caking agent
- Potassium sodium tartrate - food acid
- Potassium sorbate - preservative
- Potassium sulfate - mineral salt, seasoning
- Potassium sulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Potassium tartrates - food acid
- Powdered Cellulose - anti-caking agent
- Primrose (Primula) — candied flowers, tea
- Processed Eucheuma seaweed - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Propane-1,2-diol alginate - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, emulsifier
- Propionic acid - preservative
- Propyl gallate - antioxidant
- Propylene glycol - humectant
- Propylene glycol alginate - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, emulsifier
- Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Propylparaben (propyl para-hydroxybenzoate) - preservative
- Pumpkin seed oil - a specialty cooking oil, produced in Austria and Slovenia. Doesn't tolerate high temperatures.
- Purslane -
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) -
- Saccharin - artificial sweetener
- Safflower oil - a flavorless and colorless cooking oil.
- Safflower -
- Saffron - color
- Saigon Cinnamon -
- Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor or Poterium sanguisorba)
- Salt -
- Sandalwood - color
- Savory (Satureja hortensis, S. montana)
- Scarlet GN - color
- Sesame oil - used as a cooking oil, and as a massage oil, particularly in India.
- Sesame seed -
- Shellac - glazing agent
- Silicon dioxide - anti-caking agent
- Silver - color (silver)
- Luohanguo
- Sodium acetate - preservative, acidity regulator
- Sodium adipate - food acid
- Sodium alginate - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, gelling agent, emulsifier
- Sodium aluminium phosphate - acidity regulator, emulsifier
- Sodium aluminosilicate (sodium aluminium silicate) - anti-caking agent
- Sodium ascorbate - antioxidant (water soluble)
- Sodium benzoate - preservative
- Sodium bicarbonate - mineral salt
- Sodium bisulfite (sodium hydrogen sulfite) - preservative, antioxidant
- Sodium carbonate - mineral salt
- Sodium carboxymethylcellulose - emulsifier
- Sodium citrates - food acid
- Sodium dehydroacetate - preservative
- Sodium erythorbate - antioxidant
- Sodium erythorbin - antioxidant
- Sodium ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate - preservative
- Sodium ferrocyanide - anti-caking agent
- Sodium formate - preservative
- Sodium fumarate - food acid
- Sodium gluconate - stabiliser
- Sodium hydrogen acetate - preservative, acidity regulator
- Sodium hydroxide - mineral salt
- Sodium lactate - food acid
- Sodium malates - food acid
- Sodium metabisulfite - preservative, antioxidant, bleaching agent
- Sodium methyl para-hydroxybenzoate - preservative
- Sodium nitrate - preservative, color fixative
- Sodium nitrite - preservative, color fixative
- Sodium orthophenyl phenol - preservative
- Sodium propionate - preservative
- Sodium propyl para-hydroxybenzoate - preservative
- Sodium sorbate - preservative
- Sodium stearoyl lactylate - emulsifier
- Sodium succinates - acidity regulator, flavor enhancer
- Sodium salts of fatty acids - emulsifier, stabiliser, anti-caking agent
- Sodium sulfite - mineral salt, preservative, antioxidant
- Sodium sulfite - preservative, antioxidant
- Sodium tartrates - food acid
- Sodium tetraborate - preservative
- Sorbic acid - preservative
- Sorbitan monolaurate - emulsifier
- Sorbitan monooleate - emulsifier
- Sorbitan monopalmitate - emulsifier
- Sorbitan monostearate - emulsifier
- Sorbitan tristearate - emulsifier
- Sorbitol - humectant, emulsifier, sweetener
- Sorbol -
- Sorrel (Rumex spp.) -
- Soybean oil - accounts for about half of worldwide edible oil production.
- Spearmint oil - often used in flavoring mouthwash and chewing gum, among other applications. [12]
- Star anise -
- Star anise oil - highly fragrant oil using in cooking. Also used in perfumery and soaps, has been used in toothpastes, mouthwashes, and skin creams. [13] 90% of the world's star anise crop is used in the manufacture of Tamiflu, a drug used to treat avian flu.
- Starch sodium octenylsuccinate - thickener, vegetable gum
- Stearic acid - anti-caking agent
- Stearyl tartarate - emulsifier
- Succinic acid - food acid
- Sucralose - artificial sweetener
- Sucroglycerides - emulsifier
- Sucrose acetate isobutyrate - emulsifier, stabiliser
- Sucrose esters of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Sugar -
- Sulfur dioxide - preservative, antioxidant
- Sulfuric acid - acidity regulator
- Sumac -
- Sunflower oil - a common cooking oil, also used to make biodiesel.
- Sunset Yellow FCF - color (yellow and orange) (FDA: FD&C Yellow #6)
- Sweet basil -
- Sweet woodruff -
- Szechuan pepper (Xanthoxylum piperitum) -
- Talc - anti-caking agent
- Tamarind -
- Costmary -
- Tandoori masala -
- Tannins - color, emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener
- Tansy -
- Tara gum - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer
- Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) -
- Tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids - emulsifier
- Tartrazine - color (yellow and orange) (FDA: FD&C Yellow #5)
- Camellia oil/Tea oil, widely used in southern China as a cooking oil. Also used in making soaps, hair oils and a variety of other products.
- Tert-butylhydroquinone - antioxidant
- Thaumatin - flavor enhancer, artificial sweetener
- Theine -
- Thermally oxidised soya bean oil - emulsifier
- Thiabendazole - preservative
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1) -
- Thiodipropionic acid - antioxidant
- Thyme -
- stannous chloride - color retention agent, antioxidant
- Titanium dioxide - color (white)
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E) -
- Tocopherol concentrate (natural) - antioxidant
- Tragacanth - thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer, emulsifier
- Triacetin - humectant
- Triammonium citrate - food acid
- Triethyl citrate - thickener, vegetable gum
- Trimethylxanthine -
- Triphosphates - mineral salt, emulsifier
- sodium phosphates - Mineral Salt
- Turmeric - color (yellow and orange)