This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making dietary changes. Histamine tolerance is highly individual.
This page covers industrial food additives. Common kitchen ingredients like vinegars, citric acid, and gelatin have their own detailed pages in the food database.
Reading food labels with histamine intolerance
Food additives are found in almost every packaged product. For people with histamine intolerance, some additives are histamine liberators, they trigger your body to release histamine, while others may affect DAO enzyme activity.
Use this guide when reading ingredient labels to identify which additives may be causing symptoms. Remember, the score is a reference, not a verdict. Your personal tolerance may vary.
Colorants
Food dyes used in processed products. Several are known histamine liberators or have been associated with sensitivity reactions.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Allura Red / Food Red 17 / C.I. 16035 / FD&C Red 40 / E129 / 2- Naphthalenesulfonic acid |
2 | — |
Amaranth / FD&C Red No.2 / E123 |
2 | — |
Anthocyanins / Anthocyans / E163 |
0 | — |
Azorubine / Azorubin S / Carmoisine / Brillant Carmoisin O / E122 / Acid Red 14 / C.I. 14720 |
2 | — |
Betanin / Beetroot Red / E162 |
0 | — |
Brilliant Black BN / Food Black 1 / Naphthol Black / E151 / C.I. Food Black 1 / C.I. 28440 |
3 | — |
Brown FK / Kipper Brown / Chocolate Brown FK / E154 / C.I. Food Brown 1 |
2 | — |
Brown HT / Chocolate Brown HT / Food Brown 3 / E155 / C.I. 20285 |
2 | — |
Chlorophyll / E140 |
0 | — |
Copper complexes of chlorophylls / Copper chlorophyll / E141 |
0 | — |
Erythrosine / FD&C Red No.3 / E127 |
3 | — |
Gold / E175 |
0 | — |
Indigo Carmine / Indigotine / E132 / C.I. 73015 |
2 | — |
Iron oxides / Iron oxide pigments / E172 |
0 | — |
Lithol Rubine BK / Pigment Red 57:1 / Carmine 6B / Brilliant Carmine 6B / Permanent Rubin L6B / E180 |
2 | — |
Patent Blue V / Sulphan blue / E131 |
2 | — |
Quinoline Yellow / C.I. 47005 / D&C Yellow No. 10 / Acid Yellow 3 / E104 |
3 | — |
Sunset Yellow FCF / Orange Yellow S / CI 15985 / E110 |
3 | — |
Tartrazine / FD&C Yellow 5 / Lemon Yellow / E102 |
3 | — |
Preservatives
Used to extend shelf life. Sulfites, benzoates, and sorbates are among the most commonly reported triggers in sensitive individuals.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Calcium benzoate / E213 |
2 | — |
Calcium bisulfite / E227 |
2 | — |
Calcium sorbate / E203 |
2 | — |
Calcium sulfite / E226 |
2 | — |
Ethylparaben / Ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate / E214 |
2 | — |
Hexamethylenetetramine / Hexamine / Methenamine / Urotropine / E239 |
2 | — |
Methylparaben / Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate / E218 |
2 | — |
o-Phenylphenol / Orthophenyl phenol / E231 |
2 | — |
Potassium benzoate / E212 |
2 | — |
Potassium hydrogen sulfite / Potassium bisulfite / E228 |
2 | — |
Potassium metabisulfite / E224 |
2 | — |
Potassium sorbate / E202 |
2 | — |
Potassium sulfite / E225 |
2 | — |
Sodium benzoate / E211 |
2 | — |
Sodium bisulfite / E222 |
2 | — |
Sodium ethylparaben / Sodium ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate / E215 |
2 | — |
Sodium metabisulfite / E223 |
2 | — |
Sodium methylparaben / Sodium methyl p-hydroxybenzoate / E219 |
2 | — |
Sodium o-phenylphenol / E232 |
2 | — |
Sodium sulfite / E221 |
2 | — |
Thickeners & Stabilizers
Used to improve texture and consistency. Most are well tolerated but individual reactions can occur.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Acacia gum / gum arabic / Chaar gund / Char goond / Meska / E414 |
1 | — |
Alginic acid / Algin / Alginate / E400 |
2 | — |
Ammonium alginate / E403 |
2 | — |
Calcium alginate / E404 |
2 | — |
Carrageenan / E407 |
2 | — |
Cellulose / E460 |
0 | — |
Cellulose methyl ether / Methyl cellulose / Methylcellulose / Methylated cellulose / E461 |
0 | — |
Crystal gum / Gum karaya / Karaya gum / E416 |
1 | — |
Ethyl cellulose / Ethylcellulose / Cellulose ethyl ether / Ethylated cellulose / E462 |
0 | — |
Ethyl methyl cellulose / Methyl ethyl cellulose / Ethyl methyl ether of cellulose / E465 |
0 | — |
Hydroxypropyl cellulose / E463 |
0 | — |
Hypromellose / Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, HPMC / E464 |
0 | — |
Methyl cellulose / Methylcellulose / Cellulose methyl ether / Methylated cellulose / E461 |
0 | — |
Potassium alginate / E402 |
2 | — |
Processed Eucheuma Seaweed (semi - refined carrageenan) / E407a |
2 | — |
Propylene glycol alginate / E405 |
2 | — |
Sodium alginate / E401 |
2 | — |
Tragacanth gum / E413 |
2 | — |
Antioxidants
Used to prevent oxidation and extend freshness. Includes vitamin-based antioxidants and synthetic compounds.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Butylated hydroxyanisole / BHA / Butylhydroxyanisole / E320 |
2 | — |
Butylated hydroxytoluene / BHT / Butylhydroxytoluene / E321 |
2 | — |
Dodecyl / Lauryl gallate / E312 |
2 | — |
Octyl gallate / E311 |
2 | — |
Propyl gallate / n-Propyl gallate / E310 |
2 | — |
Sodium erythorbate / Erythorbic acid sodium salt / Sodium isoascorbate / E316 |
0 | — |
Acidulants & Regulators
Control acidity and pH. Citric acid and lactic acid are among the most common in processed foods.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Acetic acid / E260 |
0 | — |
Ammonium carbonate / Baker's ammonia / Salt of hartshorn / E503 |
0 | — |
Guanosine monophosphate / 5’-Guanidylic acid / Guanylic acid / E626 |
0 | — |
Hydrochloric acid / E507 |
0 | — |
Magnesium carbonate / E504 |
0 | — |
Monocalcium phosphate / Calcium dihydrogen phosphate / E341(i) |
1 | — |
Polyphosphates / Sodium- / potassium- / calcium- and sodium-calcium polyphosphates / E452 |
2 | — |
Potassium carbonate / Carbonate of potash / Dipotassium carbonate / Pearl ash / Salt of tartar / E501 |
0 | — |
Potassium polyphosphate / E452(ii) |
2 | — |
Sodium carbonate / Washing soda / Soda ash / Soda crystals / Na₂CO₃ / E500i |
0 | — |
Sodium polyphosphate / E452(i) |
2 | — |
Tricalcium phosphate / Potassium phosphates / E340 |
1 | — |
Flavor Enhancers
Amplify the flavor of food without adding their own taste. MSG and related glutamates are the most well-known.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Zinc acetate / Zinc diacetate, Dicarbomethoxyzinc / E650 |
0 | — |
Other Additives
Industrial additives that do not fit neatly into other categories. Primarily found in processed and manufactured foods.
| Additive | Score | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Ammonium citrate / Triammonium citrate / E380 |
1 | — |
Ascorbyl palmitate / E304 (E304(i)) |
0 | — |
Ascorbyl stearate / E304 (E304(ii)) |
0 | — |
Calcium acetate / Calcium ethanoate / Calcium diacetate / Acetate of lime / E263 |
0 | — |
Calcium ascorbate / E302 |
0 | — |
Calcium citrates / E333 |
1 | — |
Calcium citrates / Tricalcium dicitrate / E333 |
1 | — |
Calcium lactate / E327 |
0 | — |
Crimson lake / E120 |
2 | — |
Glutamic acid / E620 |
2 | — |
Invertase / Saccharase / Glucosucrase / Beta-H-fructosidase / Beta-fructosidase / Invertin / Sucrase / E1103 |
0 | — |
Iron(II) gluconate / Ferrous gluconate / E579 |
0 | — |
Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone / Cross-linked PVP/ insoluble polymer / E1202 |
1 | — |
Potassium acetate / E261 |
0 | — |
Potassium citrates / Tripotassium citrate / E332 |
1 | — |
Potassium lactate / E326 |
0 | — |
Potassium tartrates / Potassium bitartrate / E336 |
0 | — |
PVP / polyvidone / povidone / Polyvinylpyrrolidone / E1201 |
1 | — |
Sodium acetate/ Sodium ethanoate / E262 |
0 | — |
Sodium ascorbate / E301 |
0 | — |
Sodium citrates / Trisodium citrate / E331 |
1 | — |
Sodium lactate / E325 |
0 | — |
Sodium tartrates / E335 |
0 | — |
Vegetable Carbon / Charcoal / Activated carbon / E153 |
0 | — |
β-Apo-8′-carotenal / C.I. Food Orange 6 / Apocarotenal / E160e |
0 | — |
Found a problematic additive? Track it in MyHistaMap
Log the foods and additives that trigger your symptoms and discover your personal patterns, because your tolerance is unique.
Try MyHistaMapWhere this information comes from
All additive scores are based on the SIGHI Food Compatibility List. This is a reference guide, your personal tolerance may vary. Always track your own reactions.
References
- Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI). Food Compatibility List. sighi.ch
- Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007.