Sodium hydrogen carbonate
Function: Stabilisers
E500II is the European food-additive number for Sodium hydrogen carbonate, a stabiliser — keeps a food's physical state uniform and stops it separating. SODIUM BICARBONATE -sodium hydrogen carbonate-, commonly known as baking soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3.
What is E500II used for?
Sodium hydrogen carbonate (E500II) is a stabiliser — keeps a food's physical state uniform and stops it separating. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Stabilisers (E-numbers).
Is E500II safe or restricted?
E500II is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No known concern” 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 E500II vegan or vegetarian?
Sodium hydrogen carbonate (E500II) 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 product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E500II?
E500II appears in 84,405 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Biscuits & Cookies, Cakes, and Chocolate Candy.
- Biscuits & Cookies5,298
- Cakes4,878
- Chocolate Candy3,189
- Crackers2,907
- Candy & Sweets2,801
- Bread2,696
- Wafers2,491
- Pastry2,431
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E500II 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 E500II
- What is E500II?
- E500II is the E-number for Sodium hydrogen carbonate, a stabiliser — keeps a food's physical state uniform and stops it separating. SODIUM BICARBONATE -sodium hydrogen carbonate-, commonly known as baking soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3.
- What is E500II used for?
- Sodium hydrogen carbonate (E500II) is a stabiliser — keeps a food's physical state uniform and stops it separating. 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 E500II?
- E500II appears in 84,405 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Biscuits & Cookies, Cakes, and Chocolate Candy. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E500II vegan or vegetarian?
- Sodium hydrogen carbonate (E500II) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E500II safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E500II is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as ‘No known concern’ 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 E500II — 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.