Sodium carbonate
Function: Stabiliser
E500I is the European food-additive number for Sodium carbonate, a stabiliser — keeps a food's physical state uniform and stops it separating. SODIUM CARBONATE, -also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals, and in the monohydrate form as crystal carbonate- is the water-soluble sodium salt of carbonic acid.
What is E500I used for?
Sodium carbonate (E500I) 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 E500I safe or restricted?
E500I is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as “Under monitoring” 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 E500I vegan or vegetarian?
Sodium carbonate (E500I) 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 E500I?
E500I appears in 35,795 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, chocolate candy and pastry.
- Cakes2,878
- Chocolate Candy1,610
- Pastry1,249
- Shortbread1,242
- Instant Noodles1,233
- Crackers866
- Cream-Filled Cookies754
- Wafers752
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E500I 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 E500I
- What is E500I?
- E500I is the E-number for Sodium carbonate, a stabiliser — keeps a food's physical state uniform and stops it separating. SODIUM CARBONATE, -also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals, and in the monohydrate form as crystal carbonate- is the water-soluble sodium salt of carbonic acid.
- What is E500I used for?
- Sodium carbonate (E500I) 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 E500I?
- E500I appears in 35,795 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, chocolate candy and pastry. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E500I vegan or vegetarian?
- Sodium carbonate (E500I) 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 E500I safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E500I is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as "Under monitoring" 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 E500I — 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.