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36-575: E numbers , short for Europe numbers, are codes for substances used as food additives , including those found naturally in many foods, such as vitamin C , for use within the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Commonly found on food labels , their safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The fact that an additive has an E number implies that its use

72-549: A contributing factor to the rise in chronic inflammatory diseases in industrialized populations. A subset of food additives, micronutrients added in food fortification processes preserve nutrient value by providing vitamins and minerals to foods such as flour, cereal, margarine and milk which normally would not retain such high levels. Added ingredients, such as air, bacteria, fungi, and yeast, also contribute manufacturing and flavor qualities, and reduce spoilage. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines

108-448: A food additive as "any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food". In order for a novel food additive to be approved in the U.S., a food additive approval petition (FAP) must be submitted to the FDA. The identity of the ingredient, the proposed use in

144-522: A new headquarters north of campus. Ground was broken in 1971 for an expansion to the building designed by architects Brubaker/Brandt to accommodate the review of 400,000 new research reports printed each year. The 5-story 142,000 square foot building opened in May 1973. In 2007, the ACS designated its Chemical Abstracts Service subdivision an ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark in recognition of its significance as

180-475: A selected journal. Also included is its language of text and language of summaries. The range is from 1907 to the present, including both serial and non-serial scientific and technical publications. The database is updated quarterly. Beyond CASSI lists abbreviated journal titles from early chemical literature and other historical reference sources. Chemical Abstracts ( CA ) began as a volunteer effort and developed from there. The use of volunteer abstractors

216-469: Is a database of chemical and bibliographic information. Originally it was available only as a client application (for both Windows and MacOS operating systems), a web version was released in 2008. By that time it had a graphical interface, and was able to do graphical searches for chemical structures and reactions (the first database to allow such functions), as well as keyword searches for literature in chemistry and related disciplines. SciFinder Scholar

252-580: Is a periodical index that provides numerous tools such as SciFinder as well as tagged keywords, summaries, indexes of disclosures, and structures of compounds in recently published scientific documents. Approximately 8,000 journals , technical reports , dissertations , conference proceedings , and new books , available in at least 50 different languages, are monitored yearly, as are patent specifications from 27 countries and two international organizations. Chemical Abstracts ceased print publication on January 1, 2010. The two principal databases that support

288-425: Is based on four dimensions: toxicokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion); genotoxicity ; subchronic (at least 90 data) and chronic toxicity and carcinogenity ; reproductive and developmental toxicity. Recent work has demonstrated that certain food additives such as carboxymethylcellulose may cause encroachment of microbes from the gastrointestinal tract into the protective mucus layer that lines

324-409: Is both a preservative as well as a flavor. With the increasing use of processed foods since the 19th century, food additives are more widely used. Many countries regulate their use. For example, boric acid was widely used as a food preservative from the 1870s to the 1920s, but was banned after World War I due to its toxicity, as demonstrated in animal and human studies. During World War II ,

360-408: Is needed in order to fully take advantage of SciFinder capabilities. CASSI stands for Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index . Since 2009, this formerly print and CD-ROM compilation is available as a free online resource to look up and confirm publication information. The online CASSI Search Tool provides titles and abbreviations, CODEN , ISSN , publisher , and date of first issue (history) for

396-503: Is simply known as additive 260 in some countries. Additive 103, alkannin , is not approved for use in Europe so does not have an E number, although it is approved for use in Australia and New Zealand . Since 1987, Australia has had an approved system of labelling for additives in packaged foods. Each food additive has to be named or numbered. The numbers are the same as in Europe, but without

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432-566: The Codex Alimentarius Commission as the International Numbering System for Food Additives (INS) to internationally identify all additives (INS number), regardless of whether they are approved for use. E numbers are all prefixed by "E", but countries outside Europe use only the number, whether the additive is approved in Europe or not. For example, acetic acid is written as E260 on products sold in Europe, but

468-549: The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, stating that no carcinogenic substances may be used as food additives. However, after the banning of cyclamates in the United States and Britain in 1969, saccharin , the only remaining legal artificial sweetener at the time, was found to cause cancer in rats. Widespread public outcry in the United States, partly communicated to Congress by postage-paid postcards supplied in

504-862: The International Numbering System (INS) as determined by the Codex Alimentarius committee, though only a subset of the INS additives are approved for use in the European Union as food additives. Outside the European continent plus Russia, E numbers are also encountered on food labelling in other jurisdictions, including the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf , South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and India. In some European countries,

540-529: The National Institutes of Health . The chemical information is produced by CAS, and is prepared by the CAS Registry System, which identifies each compound with a specific CAS registry number , index name, and graphic representation of its chemical structure. The assignment of chemical names is done according to the chemical nomenclature rules for CA index names, which is slightly different from

576-504: The "E number" is used informally as a derogatory term for artificial food additives. For example, in the UK, food companies are required to include the 'E Number(s)' in the ingredients that are added as part of the manufacturing process. Many components of naturally occurring healthy foods and vitamins have assigned E numbers (and the number is a synonym for the chemical component), e.g. vitamin C ( E300 ) and lycopene ( E160d ), found in carrots. At

612-635: The E400–499 range) have a variety of purposes. The list shows all components that have an E-number assigned, even those no longer allowed in the EU . Banned in the US and Australia. Food additive To regulate these additives and inform consumers, each additive is assigned a unique number called an " E number ", which is used in Europe for all approved additives. This numbering scheme has now been adopted and extended by

648-506: The EU it can take 10 years or more to obtain approval for a new food additive. This includes five years of safety testing, followed by two years for evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and another three years before the additive receives an EU-wide approval for use in every country in the European Union . Apart from testing and analyzing food products during the whole production process to ensure safety and compliance with regulatory standards, Trading Standards officers (in

684-459: The UK) protect the public from any illegal use or potentially dangerous mis-use of food additives by performing random testing of food products. There has been significant controversy associated with the risks and benefits of food additives. Natural additives may be similarly harmful or be the cause of allergic reactions in certain individuals. For example, safrole was used to flavor root beer until it

720-565: The different products are CAplus and Registry. CAS References consists of bibliographic information and abstracts for all articles in chemical journals worldwide, and chemistry-related articles from all scientific journals, patents, and other scientific publications. As of 2023 , the CAS Registry contains information on more than 200 million organic and inorganic substances, and about 70 million protein and nucleic acid sequences . The sequence information comes from CAS and GenBank , produced by

756-414: The food system, the technical effect of the ingredient, a method of analysis for the ingredient in foods, information on the manufacturing process, and full safety reports must be defined in a FAP. For FDA approval of a FAP, the FDA evaluates the chemical composition of the ingredient, the quantities that would be typically consumed, acute and chronic health impacts, and other safety factors. The FDA reviews

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792-490: The internationally standard IUPAC names , according to the rules of IUPAC . CAS databases are available via two principal database systems, STN, and SciFinder. STN (Scientific & Technical Information Network) International is operated jointly by CAS and FIZ Karlsruhe , and is intended primarily for information professionals, using a command language interface. In addition to CAS databases, STN also provides access to many other databases, similar to Dialog . SciFinder

828-548: The intestines. Additional preclinical work suggests that emulsifiers may disrupt the gut microbiome, cause or exacerbate inflammation, and increase intestinal permeability. Other food additives in processed foods, such as xanthan gum, have also been shown to influence the ecology of human gut microbiomes and may play a role in the divergence of gut microbiomes in industrialized societies as compared to pre-industrialized societies. Although still controversial, some scientists hypothesize that these changes to human gut microbiomes may be

864-452: The packaging of sweetened soft drinks , led to the retention of saccharin, despite its violation of the Delaney clause. However, in 2000, saccharin was found to be carcinogenic in rats due only to their unique urine chemistry. In 2007, Food Standards Australia New Zealand published an official shoppers' guidance with which the concerns of food additives and their labeling are mediated. In

900-527: The petition prior to market approval of the additive. ISO has published a series of standards regarding the topic and these standards are covered by ICS 67.220. Chemical Abstracts Service Chemical Abstracts Service ( CAS ) is a division of the American Chemical Society . It is a source of chemical information and is located in Columbus, Ohio , United States . Chemical Abstracts

936-494: The prefix "E". The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists these items as " generally recognized as safe " (GRAS); they are listed under both their Chemical Abstracts Service number and FDA regulation under the United States Code of Federal Regulations . Food additives can be divided into several groups, although there is some overlap because some additives exert more than one effect. For example, salt

972-464: The same time, "E number" is sometimes misunderstood to imply approval for safe consumption. This is not necessarily the case, e.g. Avoparcin ( E715 ) is an antibiotic once used in animal feed, but is no longer permitted in the EU, and has never been permitted for human consumption. Sodium nitrite (E250) is toxic. Sulfuric acid (E513) is caustic. Not all examples of a class fall into the given numeric range; moreover, certain chemicals (particularly in

1008-464: The urgent need for cheap, available food preservatives led to it being used again, but it was finally banned in the 1950s. Such cases led to a general mistrust of food additives, and an application of the precautionary principle led to the conclusion that only additives that are known to be safe should be used in foods. In the United States, this led to the adoption of the Delaney clause , an amendment to

1044-559: The west bank of the Olentangy River , just north of The Ohio State campus. This campus became well known in the Columbus area and famous as the site of many Columbus Symphony Orchestra pop concerts. In 2009, the campus consisted of three buildings. In 1907, William A. Noyes had enlarged the Review of American Chemical Research , an abstracting publication begun by Arthur Noyes in 1895 that

1080-477: Was a key factor in its long-term success. Dale B. Baker became the CAS Director upon Crane's retirement in 1958. According to CAS, his visionary view of CAS' potential "led to expansion, modernization, and the forging of international alliances with other information organizations." CAS was an early leader in the use of computer technology to organize and disseminate information. The CAS Chemical Registry System

1116-551: Was a very similar a product developed for academic institutions, but discontinued in 2023. In 2017 the ACS released SciFinder-n as a web-only product with the same data content and improved user interface and search functions. SciFinder is considered as the best source of chemical information worldwide, with substantially larger number of relevant information sources than Web of Science or Scopus with Reaxys . However, due to its unique and unusual search functions, substantial training

E number - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-509: Was at one time permitted in products for sale in the European Single Market ; some of these additives are no longer allowed today. Having a single unified list for food additives was first agreed upon in 1962 with food colouring . In 1964, the directives for preservatives were added, in 1970 antioxidants were added, in 1974 emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners and gelling agents were added as well. The numbering scheme follows that of

1188-401: Was introduced in 1965. CAS developed a unique registry number to identify chemical substances. Agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local fire departments around the world now rely on these numbers for the definite identification of substances. According to the ACS, this is the largest chemical substance database in the world. In 1965, CAS left their offices at OSU for

1224-474: Was phased out in 1994. Chemical Abstracts has been associated with the American Chemical Society in one way or another since 1907. For many years, beginning in 1909, the offices of Chemical Abstracts were housed in various places on the Columbus, Ohio campus of Ohio State University , including McPherson Laboratory and Watts Hall . In 1965, CAS moved to a new 50-acre (200,000 m ) site on

1260-476: Was shown to be carcinogenic. Due to the application of the Delaney clause, it may not be added to foods, even though it occurs naturally in sassafras and sweet basil . Periodically, concerns have been expressed about a linkage between additives and hyperactivity , however "no clear evidence of ADHD was provided". In 2012, the EFSA proposed the tier approach to evaluate the potential toxicity of food additives. It

1296-401: Was the forerunner of Chemical Abstracts . When it became evident that a separate publication containing these abstracts was needed, Noyes became the first editor of the new publication, Chemical Abstracts . E. J. Crane became the first Director of Chemical Abstracts Service when it became an American Chemical Society division in 1956. Crane had been CA editor since 1915, and his dedication

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