E300 / Antioxidants & acidity regulators
Ascorbic acid
Safety in brief
Safe
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- No allergen or sensitivity is recorded for this ingredient here. Check the whole product label; this is not an allergen-free guarantee.
- Selected research
- The paper did not report a statistically significant diabetes association for ascorbic acid in its main results. This is not proof of no effect, and it does not answer other health or safety questions. Study details and limits.
- Our advice
- Vitamin C is an essential nutrient. Additive-source exposure, the full diet and vitamin supplements answer different research questions; this is not a reason to remove fruit and vegetables.
What it is
Ascorbic acid (E300), also known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that the body needs for collagen formation, immune function, and wound healing. In food it is widely used as an antioxidant to prevent browning and preserve freshness in juices, cured meats, and baked goods, in addition to its natural presence in fruits and vegetables. It is also used as a nutritional supplement to prevent vitamin C deficiency.
Also appears on labels as: Ascorbic acid, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin C, L-Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbate, Sodium Ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate, Potassium Ascorbate, Ascorbic Acid Powder, Ascorbic Acid Solution, E300, E 300.
What does E300 mean on a food label?
E300 is ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C. It can appear on a food label as an antioxidant. EFSA describes antioxidants as helping prevent deterioration caused by oxidation in food.
The Food Standards Agency's PPDS labelling guide gives two examples: Antioxidant: Ascorbic Acid and Antioxidant: E300. This guidance applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales; label requirements depend on where the product is sold.
| E number | Ingredient name |
|---|---|
| E300 | Ascorbic acid (this entry) |
| E301 | Sodium ascorbate: read the ingredient entry |
| E302 | Calcium ascorbate: read the ingredient entry |
These names and codes are listed separately in the official additive list. A name or E number identifies an ingredient; it does not state its quantity or the nutritional value of the whole product.
Label-guide sources checked . Use the physical ingredient list when comparing the result of a scan.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- None recorded
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
What selected 2026 human research means for E300
Type 2 diabetes: what was found
The paper did not report a statistically significant diabetes association for ascorbic acid in its main results. This is not proof of no effect, and it does not answer other health or safety questions.
The French NutriNet-Santé analysis included 108,723 people and 1,131 new diagnoses, with a median follow-up of 8.05 years. Diets were recorded repeatedly, including food brands. Researchers estimated additive intake and adjusted for factors such as diet, body size and smoking. They did not randomly assign people to eat this additive.
Blood pressure and cardiovascular outcomes
A May 2026 analysis associated additive-origin ascorbic acid with both new hypertension and cardiovascular disease after multiple-test adjustment. Its diabetes result was null, illustrating why outcomes must stay separate.
This analysis included 112,395 people overall, with 5,544 new hypertension cases and 2,450 cardiovascular events in the respective analyses. It comes from the same NutriNet-Santé cohort as the diabetes and cancer publications; these are different outcomes, not three independent replications.
EatMatrix’s reading
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient. Additive-source exposure, the full diet and vitamin supplements answer different research questions; this is not a reason to remove fruit and vegetables.
These findings deserve follow-up. Estimated intake, other features of the foods people ate and differences between volunteers can still influence the results. Most participants were women; the results may not transfer directly to children or every country. A proposed mechanism from cells or animals is not a demonstrated mechanism in people eating ordinary food.
A useful next step when choosing food
Compare the whole food: its ingredients, fibre, salt, free sugars, saturated fat and how often you eat it. Choose a varied pattern with more minimally processed foods where practical. Removing one E number alone has not been shown by these studies to prevent diabetes or heart disease.
WHO healthy-diet guidance, January 2026 · NIH: why the body needs vitamin C
Selected abstract, main-text methods/results and funding checked . Funders include European and French public research bodies; the authors declare no competing interests. Supplementary tables could not be inspected here, so individual corrected estimates are not reproduced. Indexed records showed no linked correction or retraction in this check; that is not proof none exists. This is a selected editorial review, not a complete clinical or current-country-use assessment. It does not change EatMatrix’s recorded rating or country permissions.
Selected research on E300
How to read study types- Observational studyPreservatives, hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the French cohort
Additive-origin ascorbic acid was linked to new hypertension and cardiovascular disease after multiple-test adjustment. The same French cohort underlies the cancer and diabetes papers, so these are not independent replications. Observational, not causal.
- Observational studyPreservatives and type 2 diabetes in 108,723 French participants
No statistically significant type 2 diabetes association for ascorbic acid was reported in the main results. A null result does not establish safety for every use or outcome; this was an observational cohort.
- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of ascorbic acid and its sodium and calcium salts
No safety concern at reported uses and no need for a numerical daily limit. Long-term animal studies showed no harm, even at high doses.
Earlier source summaries checked ; latest additions checked . See the detailed research section for what was read and the remaining limits. This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Generally recognized as safe at typical food and supplement levels.
- Very high supplemental doses (well beyond food-additive amounts) can cause digestive upset in some people.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of ascorbic acid (E 300), sodium ascorbate (E 301) and calcium ascorbate (E 302) as food additives — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2015). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
Country rules
Country checks for E300
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Annex II Part B, version , contains the exact code E300: Ascorbic acid. Listing alone does not allow every food use. Part E food categories, limits, specifications and applicable later acts still need a product-specific check. Source read: . |
| Great Britain | The FSA register record for E300 (Ascorbic acid) lists “Authorised” in England, Scotland and Wales. Register updated: 01 April 2025; record checked: . Food-specific conditions and specifications still need a separate legal check. |
| United States | Selected US conditions for Ascorbic acid Official federal text current through ; read . Food uses, limits and exceptionsA named GRAS provision Ascorbic acid is listed for use under good manufacturing practice. This means food-grade material and an amount no greater than reasonably needed for its intended effect; it does not mean unlimited use. EatMatrix’s reading: a legal use condition answers where and how an ingredient may be used. It is not a test of your product, a personal safe intake or a claim that the ingredient benefits your body. Match the named substance, food and amount. Other federal provisions, food standards, state rules and later changes may also apply; this is a selected source review, not a complete product-compliance decision. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | Named food-use records located. Health Canada lists the preparations below for specified foods and purposes. This is conditional permission for those uses, not approval of every product or a personal safety verdict. Only the named records and conditions below were located. Exact composition and specifications still need matching. Source tables captured . List publication dates are shown separately. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a condition of use, not an unlimited amount or a recommended intake. Food and Drug Regulations B.16.003 requires the listed source, purpose, amount and other conditions to match. The official consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026; product specifications and applicable later changes still need checking. Read 10 listed food-use conditionsAscorbic AcidHealth Canada: List of Permitted Flour Treatment Agents. List published ; item A.3.
Ascorbic AcidHealth Canada: List of Permitted Preservatives. List published ; item A.2.
EatMatrix reading: match the exact preparation and food first. A manufacturing limit is not an acceptable daily intake (ADI). A label without the amount cannot establish exposure, and an unlisted name here does not establish a ban. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 3 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment sources
- Commission-listed EFSA references for E300. Bibliographic identity checked; latest findings and current use rules need separate review.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Safe |
| WHO | Safe |
| EFSA | Safe |
| FSANZ | Safe |
| Japan | Safe |
| UK FSA | Safe |
| Health Canada | Safe |
Official assessment sources for E300
The European Commission’s re-evaluation table lists official EFSA documents for this additive. Their identifiers and subjects were checked against publisher bibliographic records. A missing research link in the EatMatrix database does not mean the additive has never been assessed.
Name in the Commission table: Ascorbic acid.
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of ascorbic acid (E 300), sodium ascorbate (E 301) and calcium ascorbate (E 302) as food additives
EFSA scientific opinion. Published: .
These are assessment references, including historical or group assessments. They do not establish the latest scientific conclusion, a human health benefit or risk, or current permission to use the additive in a particular food. Later assessments, corrections and food-use conditions need separate review. The recorded EatMatrix rating above is unchanged.
European Commission re-evaluation table, status as of . EatMatrix checked this bibliography on .
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E300?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E300 (Ascorbic acid) is “Safe”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E300 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Ascorbic acid — vegan: yes, vegetarian: yes, halal: yes, kosher: yes, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E300 and why is it used?
Ascorbic acid (E300), also known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that the body needs for collagen formation, immune function, and wound healing. In food it is widely used as an antioxidant to prevent browning and preserve freshness in juices, cured meats, and baked goods, in addition to its natural presence in fruits and vegetables. It is also used as a nutritional supplement to prevent vitamin C deficiency.
Does E300 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Ascorbic acid.
Is E300 the same as vitamin C?
E300 identifies ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C. On a food label, the name or E number identifies the additive; it does not tell you the vitamin C amount per serving.
Are E300, E301 and E302 the same additive?
They have separate E numbers and ingredient names: E300 is ascorbic acid, E301 is sodium ascorbate and E302 is calcium ascorbate. Match the specific name or code printed on your food label to the corresponding ingredient entry.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.