Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid
Function: Antioxidant
E304 is the European food-additive number for Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (E304) is an antioxidant used as a food additive.
What is E304 used for?
Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (E304) 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 E304 safe or restricted?
E304 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 E304 vegan or vegetarian?
Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (E304) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product.
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 E304?
E304 appears in 2,853 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pastry, baby formula (powder) and potato.
- Pastry298
- Baby Formula (Powder)152
- Potato110
- Sweet Pastries77
- Crackers64
- Protein Powder / Shake63
- Wafers59
- Soy Yogurt59
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E304 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 E304
- What is E304?
- E304 is the E-number for Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (E304) is an antioxidant used as a food additive.
- What is E304 used for?
- Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (E304) 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 E304?
- E304 appears in 2,853 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pastry, baby formula (powder) and potato. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E304 vegan or vegetarian?
- Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid (E304) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E304 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E304 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 E304 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.