Simple Summary of Food Numbers

Do you know how much chemical cuisine you indulge in?

If you think ingredients numbering is confusing or that food labels read like a chemistry text book, then you aren't alone. Speaking conspiratorially, perhaps they are meant to be - so as to confuse you. Speaking practically, it is hard to condense the complex world of chemicals - natural or synthetic - into a set of numbers.  If you are the kind of person who doesn't like detail or you are simply looking for a quick ready reference, here is a simplified guide.

General Groupings:

For a super fast guide, avoid these numbers: 

General notes:

• Food Additives usually have an 'E' in front of the number, but not always in Australia
• 'Natural' can be 'accurate', but perhaps not in the way you expect. (Gelatin, for instance is natural, but comes from pig skin and bones)
• Many additives were once sourced naturally, but these days many are synthetic, often made from coal tar dyes. Most of these should be avoided.
• Numbers don't always differentiate synthetics from naturally occurring additives. E330 is an example. Natural Citric Acid doesn't seem to be particularly problematic as long as it is used properly. Synthesised E330 however comes from Sulphuric Acid and some people believe levels of sulphites remain in the product, making it problematic for those sensitive to asthma. 

See more at An Easy Guide to Reading Food Labels.



Image: Petr Malyshev and Chromatos/Shutterstock

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