Sodium L-aspartate
Function: Flavour Enhancer
E638 is the European food-additive number for Sodium L-aspartate, a flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste of a food. Sodium L-aspartate (E638) is a flavour enhancer used as a food additive.
What is E638 used for?
Sodium L-aspartate (E638) is a flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste of a food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition.
Is E638 safe or restricted?
E638 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 regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned.
Frequently asked questions about E638
- What is E638?
- E638 is the E-number for Sodium L-aspartate, a flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste of a food. Sodium L-aspartate (E638) is a flavour enhancer used as a food additive.
- What is E638 used for?
- Sodium L-aspartate (E638) is a flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste 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.
- Is E638 vegan or vegetarian?
- It depends on the source. Many additives can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which was used. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product where it's known, instead of a blanket guess.
- Is E638 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E638 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 regulatory flags" 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 E638 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it.