Phosphoric acid
Function: Acidity regulators
E338 is the European food-additive number for Phosphoric acid, an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Phosphoric acid (E338) is an antioxidant used as a food additive.
What is E338 used for?
Phosphoric acid (E338) is an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Acidity regulators (E-numbers).
Is E338 safe or restricted?
E338 faces restrictions under EU rules on how, where, or in what quantities it may be used. Forkin classifies it as “Restricted use” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E338 vegan or vegetarian?
Phosphoric acid (E338) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E338?
E338 appears in 10,766 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Cola, Soda Water / Club Soda, and Soft Drinks.
- Cola4,015
- Soda Water / Club Soda934
- Soft Drinks481
- Dressings335
- Ranch Dressing331
- Iced Tea293
- Cakes232
- Energy Drink187
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E338 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E338
- What is E338?
- E338 is the E-number for Phosphoric acid, an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Phosphoric acid (E338) is an antioxidant used as a food additive.
- What is E338 used for?
- Phosphoric acid (E338) is an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E338?
- E338 appears in 10,766 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Cola, Soda Water / Club Soda, and Soft Drinks. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E338 vegan or vegetarian?
- Phosphoric acid (E338) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E338 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E338 faces restrictions under EU rules on how, where, or in what quantities it may be used. Forkin classifies it as ‘Restricted use’ and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E338 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan and vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.