E301
Sodium ascorbate

  Vitamin C, essential for growth, healthy teeth, gums, bones, skin and blood vessels and aiding the absorption of iron, is found naturally in many fresh fruits and vegetables.

E301, prepared synthetically, is the sodium salt of ascorbic acid (E300) and, like E300, it is used as an antioxidant, a colour preservative and as a vitamin supplement.

It can be found in pork pies, quick-frozen fish and lobster, sausages, scotch eggs, smoked frankfurters, tinned meats and both tinned and cereal based baby foods.

E302
Calcium ascorbate

  Vitamin C, essential for growth, healthy teeth, gums, bones, skin and blood vessels and aiding the absorption of iron, is found naturally in many fresh fruits and vegetables.

E302 is prepared synthetically and, like E300, it is used as an antioxidant, a colour preservative and as a vitamin supplement.

It can be found in bouillons, consommés and scotch eggs.

Some fear that it may increase the formation of calcium oxalate stones in the urine and should therefor be avoided by those with a predisposition to kidney stones.

E304

Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (i) Ascorbyl palmitate (ii) Ascorbyl stearate

 Vitamin C, essential for growth, healthy teeth, gums, bones, skin and blood vessels and aiding the absorption of iron, is found naturally in many fresh fruits and vegetables.

E304, ascorbic acid ester comprising ascorbic acid and palmitic acid, is prepared synthetically and, like E300, it is used as an antioxidant, a colour preservative and as a vitamin supplement but with the added advantage of being fat-soluble at high temperatures.

Because of its antioxidant synergy with the alpha-tocopherols E306 and E307 it is likely to be found in combination with these.

It can be found in baby formula, chicken stock cubes, pork pies, sausages, scotch eggs and tinned baby food.

E306
Tocopherol-rich extract (natural)

Vitamin E, known as the anti-sterility vitamin - from the Greek tokos (child) and pherein (bear), is fat-soluble and is a mixture of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta- tocopherols. Although eight chemically similar substances have Vitamin E activity, alpha-tocopherol is the most active of these with 100%, followed by beta- (15-40%), gamma- (1-20% then delta (1%). Found in most foods, it is abundant in, amongst other things, whole grain cereals, corn and cottonseed oils, egg yolks, meat and milk. (See also E307, E308 and E309).

It is essential to the life of red blood cells and helps the supply of oxygen to the heart and muscles. Its requirement is increased by high intakes of polyunsaturated fats but, as the body stores about a year's supply, Vitamin E deficiency that produces signs and symptoms is rare. It is possible that generous intakes protect cell membranes from oxidation damage and consequent degenerative diseases.

E306 is an antioxidant for polyunsaturated fatty acids in tissue fats and is used in meat pies, desert toppings and vegetable oils as well as a vitamin supplement. Has a greater antioxidant effect than gamma-tocopherol (E308) in animals but not in cells or non-biological matter. It also protects other nutrients, such as Vitamin A, from oxidation but is largely destroyed by freezing.

Commercially it can be extracted, by distillation in a vacuum, from cottonseed, maize, rice germ, soya been oil, wheat germ, or green leaves and may, therefore, come from Genetically Modified sources.

Because of its antioxidant synergy with Ascorbyl palmitate it is likely to be found in combination with E304.

E307
Alpha-tocopherol (synthetic)

 Vitamin E, known as the anti-sterility vitamin - from the Greek tokos (child) and pherein (bear), is fat-soluble and is a mixture of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta- tocopherols. Although eight chemically similar substances have Vitamin E activity, alpha-tocopherol is the most active of these (100% Vitamin E). Found in most foods, it is abundant in, amongst other things, whole grain cereals, corn and cottonseed oils, egg yolks, meat and milk. (See also E306, E308 and E309).

It is essential to the life of red blood cells and helps the supply of oxygen to the heart and muscles. Its requirement is increased by high intakes of polyunsaturated fats but, as the body stores about a year's supply, Vitamin E deficiency that produces signs and symptoms is rare. It is possible that generous intakes protect cell membranes from oxidation damage and consequent degenerative diseases.

Commercially it can be produced from cottonseed, maize, rice germ, soya been oil, wheat germ, or green leaves and may, therefore, come from Genetically Modified sources.

Because of its antioxidant synergy with Ascorbyl palmitate it is likely to be found in combination with E304.

E308
Gamma-tocopherol (synthetic)

 Vitamin E, known as the anti-sterility vitamin - from the Greek tokos (child) and pherein (bear), is fat-soluble and is a mixture of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta- tocopherols. Although eight chemically similar substances have Vitamin E activity, alpha-tocopherol is the most active of these (100%) with gamma-tocopherol being between 1 and 20% Vitamin E activity. Found in most foods, it is abundant in, amongst other things, whole grain cereals, corn and cottonseed oils, egg yolks, meat and milk. (See also E306, E307 and E309).

It is essential to the life of red blood cells and helps the supply of oxygen to the heart and muscles. Its requirement is increased by high intakes of polyunsaturated fats but, as the body stores about a year's supply, Vitamin E deficiency that produces signs and symptoms is rare. It is possible that generous intakes protect cell membranes from oxidation damage and consequent degenerative diseases.

Commercially it can be produced from cottonseed, maize, rice germ, soya been oil, wheat germ, or green leaves and may, therefore, come from Genetically Modified sources.

E309
Delta-tocopherol (synthetic)

 Vitamin E, known as the anti-sterility vitamin - from the Greek tokos (child) and pherein (bear), is fat-soluble and is a mixture of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta- tocopherols. Although eight chemically similar substances have Vitamin E activity, alpha- tocopherol is the most active of these (100%) with delta-tocopherol being 1% Vitamin E activity. Found in most foods, it is abundant in, amongst other things, whole grain cereals, corn and cottonseed oils, egg yolks, meat and milk. (See also E306, E307 and E308).

It is essential to the life of red blood cells and helps the supply of oxygen to the heart and muscles. Its requirement is increased by high intakes of polyunsaturated fats but, as the body stores about a year's supply, Vitamin E deficiency that produces signs and symptoms is rare. It is possible that generous intakes protect cell membranes from oxidation damage and consequent degenerative diseases.

Commercially it can be produced from cottonseed, maize, rice germ, soya been oil, wheat germ, or green leaves and may, therefore, come from Genetically Modified sources.