Flavour enhancers approved for use in food by the European Commission

Food additives permitted in the EU: flavour enhancers

Flavor enhancers are food additives added to a food to supplement, enhance or improve its own flavour, without imparting the food itself any characteristic flavour.
Below is a review of some flavour enhancers, such as glutamic acid and some nucleotides, present in the list of food additives approved in the European Community on the basis of the European Commission regulation No 1129/2011 published on 11 November 2011. This list is an amendment of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament, that was then modified in 2013. The list in its entirety is available, in PDF and HTML format and in the different European languages, by following the link in the References.

E620, E621, E622, E623, E624, E625, E626, E627, E628, E629, E630, E631, E632, E633, E634, E635, E640, E650
Flavour enhancers: amino acids
E620 Glutamic acid
E621 Monosodium glutamate
E622 Monopotassium glutamate
E623 Calcium diglutamate
E624 Monoammonium glutamate
E625 Magnesium diglutamate
E640 Glycine and its sodium salt
Flavour enhancers: nucleotides
E626 Guanylic acid
E627 Disodium guanylate
E628 Dipotassium guanylate
E629 Calcium guanylate
E630 Inosinic acid
E631 Disodium inosinate
E632 Dipotassium inosinate
E633 Calcium inosinate
E634 Calcium 5′-ribonucleotides
E635 Disodium 5′-ribonucleotides
Other compounds
E650 Zinc acetate

References

  • Bender D.A. “Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology” 8th ed. Woodhead Publishing. Oxford, 2006
  • Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a Union list of food additives. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1129/2013-11-21

Biochemistry, metabolism, and nutrition