About Additive Facts
An independent safety reference for food additives. We compile official regulatory data and present it without spin, agenda, or advertising.
Our Mission
Additive Facts is an independent database that makes food additive safety data accessible to everyone — especially parents making decisions about what their children eat. We compile information from official regulatory sources into a searchable, readable format.
Food ingredient labels were never designed for consumers. They were designed for food technologists. A typical ingredient list contains E-numbers, CAS registry identifiers, and regulatory-category names that mean nothing without a reference. We built the reference.
We don't sell products, accept payments from food companies, or provide medical advice. We present the data and let you make informed decisions.
We cite everything.
Every safety claim links to its FDA, EFSA, or peer-reviewed source.
We don't take sides.
If the FDA says safe and the EU bans it, we report both. You decide what "safe enough" means for your family.
We have no financial conflicts.
No food company advertising. No affiliate deals with ingredient manufacturers. No sponsored content.
We are not the final word.
Regulatory science evolves. When agencies update their positions, we update ours. No rating on this site is permanent.
Editorial Standards
Safety ratings on Additive Facts reflect the consensus of official regulatory bodies — primarily the U.S. FDA and European EFSA — not editorial opinion. Where agencies disagree, we assign the more cautious rating and present both positions. No rating is based on anonymous sources, industry submissions, or internal editorial judgment.
All content is reviewed against primary regulatory source documents before publication. Data is updated weekly. Major regulatory changes are reflected within one business day.
Read the full Editorial Policy & MethodologyOur Data
We use six public government databases covering over 186,000 data points — all freely accessible under public domain or open data licenses. Every data source is documented with its official URL, datapoint count, licensing terms, and last-pull date.
Data Sources
All data comes directly from government and intergovernmental agencies. No proprietary ratings. No anonymous sourcing.
3,971
substances
FDA Substances Added to Food
The FDA's official inventory of all substances added to food in the United States, including GRAS status, regulatory references, and usage categories.
5,700+
substances
EFSA OpenFoodTox
The European Food Safety Authority's comprehensive database of toxicological assessments for substances used in food across EU member states.
148,459
reports
OpenFDA Adverse Events
The FDA's open data platform providing adverse event reports and food recall records. We use this to surface ingredients with documented consumer harm reports.
28,679
recalls
OpenFDA Food Recalls
FDA enforcement actions and food product recalls. Recall history factors into our risk assessment for relevant ingredients.
How We Rate Safety
Each additive receives one of four ratings based on a combination of regulatory approval status across jurisdictions, adverse event report volume, recall history, and published toxicological literature.
Broadly approved by both the U.S. FDA and European EFSA with no significant safety concerns identified in peer-reviewed literature.
Some safety concerns have been raised, the substance is restricted in certain countries, or it is under active regulatory review.
Banned in one or more countries, linked to significant adverse event reports, or strong scientific evidence of harm at common exposure levels.
Insufficient public data to assign a rating at this time. Present in the FDA EAFUS inventory but not yet fully evaluated.
Disclaimer
Additive Facts is an informational resource, not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice. The safety ratings on this site reflect publicly available regulatory data and published research — individual sensitivities vary significantly. Always consult a registered dietitian or healthcare provider for specific dietary concerns, food allergies, or health conditions.
Additive Facts provides regulatory data for educational purposes only. The information on this site does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have a medical condition, food allergy, or are making decisions on behalf of a child.
Ready to start researching?
Browse 3,971 FDA-listed additives with safety ratings and source citations.