The Complete Food Additive Code Number List to Decode Food Ingredients (2025)

Food additives are listed on product labels with a three or four digit number code, because their real names may be far too long to use. This number system is known as the International Numbering System for Food Additives, or INS for short.

For example, (300) in an ingredient list is the food additive code for Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). In the European Union (EU), approved food additives are written with a prefix of E, an E-number, so the packaging would list the same additive as (E300).

To go to the food additive code list, either scroll down past the table below, or use the links here for the number range of the food additive in question.

Food additives are used for many different purposes and functions. Those that serve a similar purpose can be grouped by function into a functional class, such as as flavour enhancer for example.

The tables below lists the functional classes of food additives, explains what they are, and lists the purposes of adding them to food, in case you’re curious. (Scroll down further to see the numerical food additive code list.)

This list shows the food additive number (INS code) in numerical order, the name of the food additive, the class it belongs to (such as emulsifier, colour, preservative, etc), and the purpose for its use in food.

When a food additive has muliple uses, it will be listed more than once, with each specific use listed against each entry. For example, food additive (300) is Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), and is listed four times in consecutive listings, to reflect the four functions it is used for: 1. acidity regulator, 2. antioxidant, 3. flour treatment agent an 4. sequestrant