Allervibe
E306
Tocopherol-rich extract
A natural mixture of tocopherols (vitamin E) obtained from vegetable oils and used as an antioxidant.
i Additive Details
| Is E306 Tocopherol-rich extract safe?
Considered safe at the levels used in food. It is most often extracted from soybean oil, so people who avoid soy strictly will want to know the source; the extract is highly refined and contains no measurable soy protein, and EU labelling rules therefore exempt tocopherols from soybean from allergen declaration. Reactions in soy-allergic people are not expected, but anyone avoiding soy for other reasons should ask the manufacturer which oil was used.
| Uses
Delays rancidity in vegetable oils, margarine, mayonnaise, sauces, nuts, snack foods, meat products, infant formula and food supplements. It protects the fat phase of a food and at the same time contributes vitamin E activity.
| Interactions
Acts synergistically with ascorbyl palmitate (E304), which regenerates oxidised tocopherols, and with sequestrants such as citric acid (E330) that bind pro-oxidant metals. At unnecessarily high concentrations tocopherols can themselves act as pro-oxidants, so they are used at low levels.
| Origin
Recovered from the distillate produced when vegetable oils are refined, most commonly soybean oil and sometimes sunflower, rapeseed, maize or other vegetable oils. It is a mixture of alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocopherols rather than a single purified compound.
| Daily Intake
JECFA has set a group ADI of 0.15 to 2 mg per kg of body weight per day for tocopherols. The lower figure reflects the nutritional requirement for vitamin E and the upper figure the safe upper limit.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E321 Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) A synthetic phenolic antioxidant used to delay rancidity in fats, oils and fat-containing foods.
- E301 Sodium ascorbate The sodium salt of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), used as an antioxidant in food.
- E302 Calcium ascorbate The calcium salt of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), used as a food antioxidant.
- E304 Ascorbyl palmitate A fat-soluble form of vitamin C, made by joining ascorbic acid to palmitic acid.
- E307 Alpha-tocopherol A single form of vitamin E, normally produced synthetically, used as an antioxidant in fats and oils.
- E392 Extracts of rosemary A plant extract from rosemary leaves, used as a natural antioxidant in fatty foods.
Spot Tocopherol-rich extract with Allervibe
Reading every line of the ingredient list to find a single additive takes time. Allervibe pulls the full additive breakdown from each scan so you can see Tocopherol-rich extract at a glance.
- ▮ Scan a barcode to see every additive listed for that product
- ▲ Open any additive for plain-language information
- ↻ Save products to favorites so repeat checks are instant