Ascorbyl palmitate
Function: Antioxidant
E304I is the European food-additive number for Ascorbyl palmitate, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. ASCORBYL PALMITATE is an ester formed from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid creating a fat-soluble form of vitamin C.
What is E304I used for?
Ascorbyl palmitate (E304I) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all antioxidants (E-numbers).
Is E304I safe or restricted?
E304I 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, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E304I vegan or vegetarian?
Ascorbyl palmitate (E304I) 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 E304I?
E304I appears in 1,950 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in baby formula (powder), sausages and chicken (general).
- Baby Formula (Powder)141
- Sausages86
- Chicken (General)76
- Mayonnaise67
- Pork (General)42
- Crackers40
- Potato39
- Salami / Chorizo36
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E304I 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 E304I
- What is E304I?
- E304I is the E-number for Ascorbyl palmitate, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. ASCORBYL PALMITATE is an ester formed from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid creating a fat-soluble form of vitamin C.
- What is E304I used for?
- Ascorbyl palmitate (E304I) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. 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 E304I?
- E304I appears in 1,950 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in baby formula (powder), sausages and chicken (general). Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E304I vegan or vegetarian?
- Ascorbyl palmitate (E304I) 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 E304I safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E304I 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 E304I — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.