Magnesium sulphate
Function: Flavour Enhancer
E518 is the European food-additive number for Magnesium sulphate, a flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste of a food. Magnesium sulphate (E518) is a flavour enhancer used as a food additive.
What is E518 used for?
Magnesium sulphate (E518) 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. See all flavour enhancers (E-numbers).
Is E518 safe or restricted?
E518 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 E518 vegan or vegetarian?
Magnesium sulphate (E518) 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 E518?
E518 appears in 359 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sparkling flavored water, baby formula (powder) and protein powder / shake.
- Sparkling Flavored Water60
- Baby Formula (Powder)24
- Protein Powder / Shake22
- Electrolyte / Sports Drink19
- Water18
- Sparkling Water13
- Dietary Supplements13
- Still Water10
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E518 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 E518
- What is E518?
- E518 is the E-number for Magnesium sulphate, a flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste of a food. Magnesium sulphate (E518) is a flavour enhancer used as a food additive.
- What is E518 used for?
- Magnesium sulphate (E518) 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.
- Which foods contain E518?
- E518 appears in 359 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sparkling flavored water, baby formula (powder) and protein powder / shake. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E518 vegan or vegetarian?
- Magnesium sulphate (E518) 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 E518 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E518 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 E518 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.