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Antioxidants in Food — Complete Guide
Antioxidants prevent oxidation in foods, which causes rancidity, color changes, and loss of nutritional value. They protect fats, oils, and other food components from reacting with oxygen. Many antioxidants used in food — like vitamin C and vitamin E — are beneficial nutrients. Others are purely functional additives.
5
Safe
0
Generally Safe
2
Caution
2
Questionable
0
Avoid
🟢 Safest Antioxidants
- Ascorbic Acid (E300)Safe(10/10)
- Sodium Ascorbate (E301)Safe(10/10)
- Alpha-Tocopherol (synthetic) (E307)Safe(9/10)
⚠️ Most Controversial Antioxidants
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) (E320)Questionable(3/10)
- tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) (E319)Questionable(4/10)
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321)Caution(5/10)
All Antioxidants (9)
| E-Number ↕ | Name ↕ | Safety ↓ | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| E300 | Ascorbic Acid | Safe(10/10) | Natural |
| E301 | Sodium Ascorbate | Safe(10/10) | Synthetic |
| E307 | Alpha-Tocopherol (synthetic) | Safe(9/10) | Synthetic |
| E304 | Ascorbyl Palmitate | Safe(9/10) | Synthetic |
| E306 | Tocopherols (Vitamin E) | Safe(9/10) | Natural |
| E321 | Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) | Caution(5/10) | Synthetic |
| E310 | Propyl Gallate | Caution(5/10) | Synthetic |
| E319 | tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) | Questionable(4/10) | Synthetic |
| E320 | Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) | Questionable(3/10) | Synthetic |
9 of 9 additives
Frequently Asked Questions
Antioxidants prevent oxidation in foods, which causes rancidity, color changes, and loss of nutritional value. They protect fats, oils, and other food components from reacting with oxygen. Many antioxidants used in food — like vitamin C and vitamin E — are beneficial nutrients. Others are purely functional additives.