How manufacturers hide additives in the ingredient list
A short ingredient list sells better than a long one, and manufacturers know it. The tricks used to shorten the list are almost all legal: regulations allow additives to be named by their common name rather than a code, and do not require the disclosure of components that arrived as part of the raw materials. Knowing these tricks is more useful than memorizing a list of "bad" numbers.
Trick one: a word instead of a code
Labeling rules offer a choice: an additive can be listed by its code or its name. "E202" and "potassium sorbate" are the same substance, but the former reads like chemistry, while the latter reads like an ingredient. Manufacturers choose the latter.
Sometimes they add a function: "preservative potassium sorbate." Formally, this is more complete, but psychologically, it is softer: the word "preservative" is familiar, while a three-digit number is suspicious in itself. How the numbering system works is explained in the article about E-numbers.
Trick two: the compound ingredient
If an ingredient itself consists of several components, its composition is disclosed in parentheses. However, if it makes up a small portion of the finished product, disclosure may not be required—and then a single word appears instead of a list.
Typical examples: "glaze," "filling," "marinade," "breading," "sauce." Behind each lies its own list of oil, starch, emulsifiers, colorings, and flavorings that are not visible in the ingredient list.
Trick three: carry-over
An additive introduced into an ingredient at an earlier stage may not end up in the final product's ingredient list if it does not perform a technological function in the final product itself. This is called carry-over.
This is why there are cutlets that contain no preservatives, even though they were in the seasoning; or baked goods without dough conditioners, even though they were in the flour. Formally, everything is correct, and the line has become shorter.
Trick four: splitting sugars
Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, and sugar in the first place looks bad. The solution is to split it into several different sugars: sugar, glucose syrup, dextrose, molasses, juice concentrate. Individually, each weighs less than the flour, and they all move down the list.
In total, there may be more sugar than anything else. The names under which it appears are analyzed in the article about hidden sugar.
Trick five: ingredient instead of additive
Some substances perform the same work as additives but are not considered additives and have no code.
| What is written | What work it performs |
|---|---|
| Yeast extract | Provides free glutamate — enhances flavor |
| Beet juice concentrate, paprika | Colors |
| Rosemary extract | Works as an antioxidant |
| Lactic acid bacteria cultures | Acidify and preserve |
| Sea salt instead of nitrite salt | In some recipes, it carries naturally occurring nitrates |
This trick supports the "no preservatives" and "no flavor enhancers" labels on products with a pronounced umami taste—the mechanics are analyzed in the article about monosodium glutamate. Formally, it is true; in essence, it is just a rearrangement of words.
Trick six: "free from" what isn't there anyway
"GMO-free" on salt, "cholesterol-free" on vegetable oil, "gluten-free" on buckwheat. The statement is true and meaningless: these substances are not present in these products by nature. It works as a hint that competitors might have them.
A full analysis of such labels is in the article about packaging labels.
Trick seven: small print and placement
The ingredient list is printed in the smallest allowable font size, light gray on white, on the fold of the packaging or under a flap. This is not prohibited if the readability requirements are formally met, but in practice, it means that reading the list in the store is physically difficult.
A phone camera helps here: a zoomed-in photo solves the problem faster than glasses.
What to do about it
- Look at the length, not the scary words. A list of thirty items says more about the degree of processing than any individual code within it.
- Read the first three ingredients. They make up the bulk of the product; the rest are details.
- Add up the sugars in your head. If there are several under different names, the total share might turn out to be the largest.
- Question compound ingredients. Seeing "filling" without a breakdown, you should understand that a separate list is hidden behind it.
- Do not trust the front of the package. The rules for it are softer than for the ingredient list; the order of reading is analyzed in the article about reading ingredient lists.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it legal to write the name of an additive instead of the E-code?
- Yes. Labeling rules allow both methods: "E202" and "potassium sorbate" denote the same substance. Choosing the word is a matter of perception, not compliance with requirements.
- Why does the ingredient list just say "filling" without a breakdown?
- This is a compound ingredient. If its share in the finished product is small, its own composition may not be disclosed, so instead of a list of oils, starches, colorings, and flavorings, a single word appears.
- What is the carry-over of an additive from raw materials?
- An additive introduced into an ingredient at a previous stage may not appear in the composition of the finished product if it does not perform a technological function in the product itself. This explains baked goods without improvers, even though they were present in the flour.
- Why is sugar in the ingredients list broken down into several types?
- Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. By splitting sugar into sugar, syrup, dextrose, and molasses, the manufacturer moves each one down the list, even though their total amount might exceed everything else.
- How to quickly evaluate the composition in a store?
- Read the first three ingredients—they make up the bulk—mentally add up all the sugars under different names, and look at the total length of the list. The length indicates the degree of processing more than an individual code.
Read next
- How to read the ingredients list on a label: the rules governing its writing — A label looks like a list of words from which everyone reads something different: one person considers a long list of ingredients a red flag, another looks for E numbers.
- Hidden sugar: under what names it appears in ingredients — The word "sugar" appears in ingredients less often than sugar itself does in a product: it has a dozen legal names, and the manufacturer has every right to use any of them.
- "Clean label": how a short ingredient list is achieved without changing the product — There is a confirmed trend: consumers prefer products with short and understandable ingredient lists.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.