• Question: Is it unsafe to have too many enumbers?

    Asked by spacenut to Faye, Martin, Mus, Pete on 27 Apr 2012.
    • Photo: Pete Etchells

      Pete Etchells answered on 27 Apr 2012:

      Great question! E numbers are codes for all sorts of food additives, both natural and artificial (for example vitamin C is E300). But in answer your question, anything can be toxic in large enough quantities – even water.

      Also, did you know that the E in E numbers stands for Europe, because they were a set of European codes?

Comments

  • Photo: spacenut

    spacenut commented on :

    I did!!!! What can make enumbers harmful to us?

    • Photo: Pete

      Pete commented on :

      It depends on what the substance is – for example, too much vitamin C(E300) can cause diarrhoea, or can make you to absorb too much iron, which might cause iron poisoning. Potassium sorbate (E202), which is used to preserve glace cherries, could be a skin, eye or respiratory irritant in large dose (although you would probably have to eat a LOT of glace cherries before it became dangerous!). Long term heavy ingestion of E260 (acetic acid, which is found in vinegar) may cause osteoporosis (in which your bones become very brittle).

      Don’t worry though, you’d have to be eating a HUGE amount of these substances over a long period of time to experience any of these sorts of side effects.