Himalayan Salted Caramel Mochi Ice Cream

What it is. A gel forming fibre extracted from red seaweed.

Why it is used. Thickens dairy, plant milks, desserts and some processed meats.

What the evidence says. Food grade carrageenan is permitted. A degraded form called poligeenan is harmful, but that is not what goes into food. Some lab and animal work links carrageenan to gut inflammation, which keeps it under review, but human evidence is limited and mixed.

Permitted, including in organic food in many places, though a few specialist products avoid it as a precaution.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E407

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. Vitamin C, added to protect colour and flavour and sometimes to fortify.

Why it is used. Stops browning in juices and cut fruit, protects fats, and boosts vitamin content.

What the evidence says. Beneficial and harmless at the levels used. Included here as a reminder that an E number is just a code, and plenty of them are ordinary nutrients.

Permitted freely, no concern.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E300

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