Vanilla Cake

What it is. The potassium salt of sorbic acid, which stops mould and yeast growth.

Why it is used. Used in cheese, baked goods, dried fruit, wine and dressings.

What the evidence says. Widely used and long regarded as one of the gentler preservatives. EFSA's 2015 re-evaluation lowered the acceptable daily intake and noted gaps in the genotoxicity data, asking for more work, while finding no evidence of harm at the levels actually used.

Permitted with maximum levels. EFSA has asked for further data rather than restricted it.

Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E202

What it is. A modified plant fibre used to thicken and stabilise.

Why it is used. Common in ice cream, low fat products, gluten free bakery and sauces.

What the evidence says. Falls in the same emulsifier and gut research bucket as polysorbate 80, with early human work hinting at effects on the microbiome. Interesting, not conclusive.

Permitted with limits.

Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E466

What it is. Fat derived emulsifiers, closely related to ordinary dietary fats.

Why it is used. One of the most used additives in food: bread, margarine, ice cream, cakes and sauces.

What the evidence says. The body handles these much as it handles other fats, and EFSA's re-evaluation raised no safety concern at the levels used. They sit in the same broad emulsifier and gut microbiome research question as the others, which remains unsettled.

Permitted without a numerical limit. The fat source is not always stated, which matters for some diets rather than for safety.

Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E471

What it is. The yellow pigment from turmeric root.

Why it is used. Colours mustards, sauces, dairy, confectionery and savoury snacks.

What the evidence says. A plant pigment people have eaten as a spice for a very long time, and regulators treat it as safe with an acceptable daily intake. EFSA noted that children who eat a lot of the foods it is used in could approach that intake, which is a reason to watch total use rather than a sign of harm.

Permitted with maximum levels in the foods where it is allowed.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E100

What it is. The orange pigments found in carrots and other vegetables, either extracted or made synthetically.

Why it is used. Colours margarine, soft drinks, dairy, and sweets.

What the evidence says. The same compound the body turns into vitamin A, and safe at the levels used in food. High dose beta-carotene supplements have been linked to harm in smokers, but those doses are far above anything a colour in food delivers, and conflating the two is a common mistake.

Permitted. The supplement findings apply to concentrated doses, not to food colouring.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E160A

What it is. A natural emulsifier, usually from soya or sunflower.

Why it is used. Keeps chocolate smooth and stops ingredients separating.

What the evidence says. Safe and widely used. Only relevant if the source, such as soya, is an allergen for you.

Permitted freely. Source allergen must be declared.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E322

What it is. A fibre made by fermenting sugars with a bacterium, which thickens liquids at very low doses.

Why it is used. Thickens sauces and dressings and gives structure to gluten free baking.

What the evidence says. Passes through largely undigested and is treated as safe by regulators, with no numerical intake limit. Very large amounts act as fibre does, which is a digestive effect rather than a safety one.

Permitted freely.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E415