Banned E-Numbers — Additives Prohibited Somewhere in the World
These additives are legal in some countries and banned in others — evidence that food safety regulation involves judgement, not just data.
Titanium dioxide (E171): banned in EU food since 2022, still legal in US and UK. Amaranth (E123) and cyclamate (E952): banned in the US since the 1970s, still permitted in EU.
Banned or restricted
| E-Number | Name | Safety | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| E123 | Amaranth | Banned/restricted | Full details |
| E171 | Titanium Dioxide | Banned/restricted | Full details |
| E952 | Cyclamate | Banned/restricted | Full details |
| E128 | Red 2G | Avoid | Full details |
| E214 | Ethyl Para-Hydroxybenzoate | Avoid | Full details |
| E215 | Sodium Ethyl Para-Hydroxybenzoate | Avoid | Full details |
| E239 | Hexamethylene Tetramine | Avoid | Full details |
| E284 | Boric Acid | Avoid | Full details |
| E285 | Sodium Tetraborate | Avoid | Full details |
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Food Intolerance Test
Additive-Free Cookbook
Whole-food recipes with no banned or restricted additives.
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Home test kit to identify which additives or foods are affecting you.
Data: Open Food Facts (ODbL) · EFSA. General information only — not medical or dietary advice.