The Food Additive Numbering Scheme was developed for use within the EU and enables the identification of food additives by code numbers. It is the scheme that generates the famed ‘E numbers’ that one sees in the ingredients declarations of food packages.

The European scheme is based on the International Numbering System for Food Additives devised by the Codex Alimentarius committee of the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

The Food Additive Numbering Scheme provides a convenient means of classifying food additives as well as a kind of shorthand for quick identification – provided one either remembers the codes or has access to a code list. Unfortunately, in this respect, it is of small value to most consumers as they are unlikely to know what the codes stand for and, in many instances, if the name of an additive is used, their knowledge of it will likely be limited.

Websites such as this can of course help to clarify understanding.