Ingredients & E-Codes Kosher E-Numbers List: Which Additives Are Kosher?
Kosher E-numbers depend on their source, not the code itself. Most additives on a label are plant based or synthetic and pose no problem, but a short list, including E120, E441, E471, E904 and E920, can be animal or insect derived and needs a certification to be sure.
Ingredients & E-Codes Is Carmine (E120) Kosher? What the Dye Really Is
Carmine is not kosher. It is a red dye made from crushed cochineal insects, and since kosher law forbids eating insects, no reliable certifying agency will approve a product that contains it. The hard part is spotting carmine on a label, because it hides under several different names.
