E number
In this list food additives are listed which ( as of November 2011 ) EU-wide may be used at the time. In Germany, the list is included as an annex to the additive Zulassungsverordnung with ceilings and restriction to certain foods. The ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake), Eng. for Acceptable Daily Intake (ETD ), describes the tolerable daily intake of food additives for the human body in milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg / kg) and indicates the amount of which can be eaten over the entire life time daily without causing health hazards to would be expected.
Food colors
Food dyes can food look better, because the color consumer expectations are met or there are related color processing losses are compensated.
Preservatives
Preservatives to increase the shelf life of foods by delaying the spoilage by molds or bacteria. A declaration is not always necessary, especially if they get over canned ingredients into food. Use for fish products of all kinds, fruit drinks, soft drinks, sliced bread, baked goods, salads, margarines, salad dressings, wine, dried fruit, beans, citrus fruits, dried vegetables, sugar.
Antioxidants and acidity regulators
Antioxidants to prevent loss of quality by the reaction with atmospheric oxygen or other oxidizing chemicals. Acidity regulators maintain the desired pH of a food is constant and strengthen partly the stability and strength of the food or the effect of preservatives.
Sweeteners
Sweeteners are sugar substitutes with a much stronger sweetening power but few or no calories. Sugar substitutes are sweet-tasting carbohydrates that have a lower impact on blood sugar levels as table sugar.
Emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners and gelling agents
These auxiliaries secure the organization and structure of food preparations and finished products or are required in the manufacturing process. Stabilizers may be added for maintaining the consistency, the flavor or other parameters, emulsifiers to stabilize emulsions and suspensions. By thickeners and gelling agents, the consistency is adjusted, so that spreadability or stability of the food can be achieved.
Anti-caking agents, acidity regulators
Anti-caking agents are separating means to prevent the lump by the consumer. Acidity regulators maintain the desired pH of a food constant. They are deployed to achieve a better machine processing, but also desired performance characteristics.
Flavor enhancer
Flavour enhancers are substances which enhance the existing taste and / or odor of a foodstuff.
Other substances
There are a variety of other substances that belong to none of the previously mentioned groups, such as anti-foaming agents, flour treatment agents, humectants, packaging gases, chewable or stabilizers.