Food Additives: US vs EU Safety Comparison
37 featured additives with full US-EU comparison, plus 3,940 additives from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory.
US-EU Regulatory Divergence (21)
These additives have different regulatory status — approved in one region but banned, restricted, or under review in the other.
Azodicarbonamide (ADA)
Flour treatment agent / Dough conditioner
US
ApprovedEU
BannedBHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)
Antioxidant / Preservative
US
GRASEU
ApprovedBHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
Antioxidant / Preservative
US
GRASEU
ApprovedCalcium Propionate
Preservative
US
GRASEU
ApprovedCarrageenan
Thickener / Stabilizer
US
GRASEU
ApprovedCitric Acid
Acidity regulator / Preservative
US
GRASEU
ApprovedErythritol
Sugar alcohol / Sweetener
US
GRASEU
ApprovedGreen 3 (Fast Green)
Color additive
US
ApprovedEU
BannedHigh Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Sweetener
US
GRASEU
ApprovedLecithin
Emulsifier
US
GRASEU
ApprovedMono- and Diglycerides
Emulsifier
US
GRASEU
ApprovedMSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
Flavor enhancer
US
GRASEU
ApprovedPartially Hydrogenated Oils (Trans Fats)
Fat / Processing aid
US
BannedEU
RestrictedPotassium Bromate
Flour treatment agent
US
ApprovedEU
BannedPropylparaben
Preservative
US
GRASEU
BannedrBST (Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin)
Growth hormone (dairy)
US
ApprovedEU
BannedRed 3 (Erythrosine)
Color additive
US
BannedEU
ApprovedSodium Benzoate
Preservative
US
GRASEU
ApprovedSorbic Acid and Sorbates
Preservative
US
GRASEU
ApprovedStevia (Steviol Glycosides)
Natural sweetener
US
GRASEU
ApprovedTitanium Dioxide
Color additive
US
ApprovedEU
Banned
Same Status in Both Regions (16)
- Approved
Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K)
Artificial sweetener
- Approved
Aspartame
Artificial sweetener
- Approved
Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue)
Color additive
- Approved
Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine)
Color additive
- Banned
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
Emulsifier / Stabilizer
- Approved
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifier
- Approved
Red 40 (Allura Red AC)
Color additive
- Approved
Saccharin
Artificial sweetener
- Approved
Sodium Nitrate
Preservative / Color fixative
- Approved
Sodium Nitrite
Preservative / Color fixative
- Approved
Sucralose
Artificial sweetener
- Approved
Sulfur Dioxide and Sulfites
Preservative / Antioxidant
- Approved
TBHQ (Tert-Butylhydroquinone)
Antioxidant / Preservative
- Approved
Xanthan Gum
Thickener / Stabilizer
- Approved
Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)
Color additive
- Approved
Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow)
Color additive
FDA Inventory (3,940)
Additives from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory. EU comparison not yet available for these entries.
Showing 2,901–3,000 of 3,940
- N-BUTANE— PROPELLANT
- N-BUTYL 2-METHYLBUTYRATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-CYCLOPROPYL-5-METHYL-2-ISOPROPYLCYCLOHEXANECARBOXAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-CYCLOPROPYL-TRANS-2-CIS-6-NONADIENAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-DODECYLMERCAPTAN— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-ETHYL TRANS-2-CIS-6-NONADIENAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-ETHYL-2-ISOPROPYL-5-METHYLCYCLOHEXANE CARBOXAMIDE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-ETHYL-2,2-DIISOPROPYLBUTANAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-FURFURYLPYRROLE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-GLUCONYL ETHANOLAMINE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-GLUCONYL ETHANOLAMINE PHOSPHATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-HEXYL 2-BUTENOATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-ISOBUTYLDECA-TRANS-2-TRANS-4-DIENAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-LACTOYL ETHANOLAMINE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-LACTOYL ETHANOLAMINE PHOSPHATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-P-BENZENEACETONITRILEMENTHANECARBOXAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N-UNDECYLBENZENESULFONIC ACID— WASHING OR SURFACE REMOVAL AGENT
- N,N-DIMETHYLPHENETHYLAMINE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N1-(2-METHOXY-4-METHYLBENZYL)-N2-(2-(5-METHYLPYRIDIN-2-YL)ETHYL)OXALAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N1-(2-METHOXY-4-METHYLBENZYL)-N2-(2-(PYRIDIN-2-YL) ETHYL)OXALAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- N1-(2,4-DIMETHOXYBENZYL)-N2-(2-(PYRIDIN-2-YL) ETHYL)OXALAMIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NAPHTHA— SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
- NARINGIN DIHYDROCHALCONE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NARINGIN, EXTRACT (CITRUS PARADISI MACF.)— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NATAMYCIN— FUMIGANT
- NATURAL GAS— SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
- NEOHESPERIDIN DIHYDROCHALCONE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NEOTAME— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
- NEROL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NEROLI, BIGARADE OIL (CITRUS AURANTIUM L.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NEROLIDOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NEROLIDOL OXIDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NERYL ACETATE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NERYL BUTYRATE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NERYL FORMATE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NERYL ISOBUTYRATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NERYL ISOVALERATE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NERYL PROPIONATE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NIACIN— NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
- NIACINAMIDE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT,<br /> NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
- NICKEL— PROCESSING AID
- NICOTINAMIDE-ASCORBIC ACID COMPLEX— NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
- NIGER GUTTA (FICUS PLATYPHYLLA DEL.)— MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE
- NISIN PREPARATION— ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT
- NISPERO— MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE
- NITRATES, SODIUM & POTASSIUM— ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT,<br /> COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT,<br /> FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT,<br /> PROPELLANT
- NITRITES, SODIUM & POTASSIUM— ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT,<br /> ANTIOXIDANT,<br /> COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT,<br /> FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT,<br /> PROPELLANT
- NITROGEN— ANTIOXIDANT,<br /> FORMULATION AID,<br /> PROPELLANT
- NITROGEN OXIDES— PROPELLANT
- NITROSYL CHLORIDE
- NITROUS OXIDE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> PROPELLANT
- NONA-2,4,6-TRIENAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONANAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONANAL DIMETHYL ACETAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONANAL PROPYLENEGLYCOL ACETAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONANOIC ACID— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONANOYL 4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYBENZYLAMIDE— FLAVOR ENHANCER,<br /> FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONYL ACETATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONYL ALCOHOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONYL ISOVALERATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NONYL OCTANOATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NOOTKATONE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NORDIHYDROGUAIARETIC ACID--PROHIBITED WITH EXCEPTIONS— ANTIOXIDANT
- NUTMEG (MYRISTICA FRAGRANS HOUTT.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT,<br /> PROCESSING AID
- NUTMEG OLEORESIN— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- NUTMEG, OIL (MYRISTICA FRAGRANS HOUTT.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-(ETHOXYMETHYL)PHENOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-(METHYLTHIO)PHENOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-CRESOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-ETHYL S-(2-FURYLMETHYL)THIOCARBONATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-METHOXYBENZALDEHYDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-METHOXYCINNAMALDEHYDE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-METHYLANISOLE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-PHENYLPHENOL— ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT,<br /> SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
- O-PROPYLPHENOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-TOLUENETHIOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-TOLYL ACETATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-TOLYL ISOBUTYRATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-TOLYL SALICYLATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-TRANS-COUMARIC ACID— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- O-VINYLANISOLE--NLFG— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OAK CHIPS, WHITE, EXTRACT (QUERCUS ALBA L.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OAK MOSS, ABSOLUTE (EVERNIA SPP.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OAK MOSS, CONCRETE (EVERNIA PRUNASTI SPP.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OAK WOOD, ENGLISH (QUERCUS ROBUR L.)— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OAT GUM— EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT
- OCIMENE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTADECYLAMINE— BOILER WATER ADDITIVE
- OCTAFLUOROCYCLOBUTANE— PROPELLANT
- OCTAHYDRO-4,8A-DIMETHYL-4A(2H)-NAPHTHOL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTAHYDROCOUMARIN— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTANAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTANAL DIMETHYL ACETAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTANAL PROPYLENEGLYCOL ACETAL— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTANOIC ACID— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTYL 2-FUROATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTYL 2-METHYLBUTYRATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTYL ACETATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
- OCTYL ALCOHOL, SYNTHETIC— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT,<br /> SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
- OCTYL BUTYRATE— FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT