E-nummers

The E-numbers app provides information about the health risks of E-numbers in food based on independent scientific research.

Because E-numbers are approved by the European Union, they are also safe… right? Independent scientific research shows otherwise: the safety of some E-numbers is questionable, and in some cases, the risks are even very high.

The purpose of foods is to give you life, not take energy. Processing the chemicals behind E-numbers sometimes costs your body more energy than it takes in. In some cases, the risks are so great that you can develop serious illnesses, such as colon cancer.

Since the 1990s, Frenchwoman Corinne Gouget has requested and collected the results of research on E-numbers worldwide. She has compiled this data in a handy guide. When multiple studies concluded that an E-number posed risks, it was labeled as risky or even discouraged. Many studies failed to identify any risks, simply because they were paid for by food manufacturers.

The Dutch translation of this guide, "What is in your food?", has been available for almost twenty years and is a success. In 2025, the guide was completely revised and updated with the results of recent studies. The guide is also available as a handy Android and iPhone app. This allows you to quickly look up the risks of the added ingredients listed on the packaging.

Features of this app:

• Complete list of E-numbers

• Search function for searching by number or name

• Search by number with a numeric keypad, so typing in a busy store is easy

• Clear indication of the risks: green is safe, orange is risky, and red is not recommended

• Additional information for each E-number

• Extensive information on the biggest culprits

• The app works completely offline, so no internet connection is required during use

• Based entirely on independent scientific research; All text has been written specifically for this guide and translated into Dutch.

You can download the app for free and get immediate access to the E-numbers in the E100 range, so you can try it out. For the remaining E-numbers, from E200 to E1525, we require a one-time payment in the app.