Same substance, different writing
US vs EU vs UK labels
E471 in France is mono- and diglycerides in Indiana. The ruling does not change with the alphabet. The pack still will not name the fat source.
- Match the writing system, then the substance. A US pack that says mono- and diglycerides is the same substance as EU E471. Search both.
- Do not treat a vegan mark as a school. It settles animal fat and gelatin. It does not settle vanilla-extract alcohol, and it does not settle insect colour if that scheme allows it.
- A national halal mark is product evidence. It is not Muttoo classifying the additive. Open the row if you need the cited disagreement.
| Topic | EU | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| How additives are printed | E-numbers are the legal names. Packs print E471, E120, E904. | Same E-number system retained after Brexit. FSA approved-additives list. | Common names. Mono- and diglycerides, carmine, shellac. E-codes are rare. |
| Carmine / cochineal | E120, cochineal, carminic acid. | E120. | Carmine, cochineal extract, carminic acid. Also a US allergen-style declaration on some foods. |
| Emulsifiers | E471, E472a–e, E322 lecithin. | Same codes. | Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids; DATEM; soy lecithin. The fat source is still not named. |
| Natural flavour | Flavouring — a class, often with an ethanol or glycerin carrier. | Flavouring. | Natural flavor under 21 CFR 101.22. The carrier is usually undeclared. This is why vanilla extract and natural flavor are different rows. |
| Colour | E100–E180. Carmine is obvious as E120. | Same. | FD&C numbers (Red 40, Yellow 5) plus carmine/cochineal as a name. Color added is not a plant guarantee. |
| Capsule / tablet | Gelatin, hypromellose, pullulan may appear in the leaflet more than the box. | Patient information leaflet lists excipients. | Supplement facts + other ingredients. The shell is often only in that second list. |
| Halal mark | National and private bodies (not one EU mark). | HMC, HFA and others. They disagree on stunning. | IFANCA, ISA, AHF and others. A mark certifies the SKU, not every E-number in the abstract. |
| Vegan / vegetarian | V-Label and national marks. Rules out animal fat and gelatin; not alcohol carriers; not insect colour if the scheme allows it. | Vegetarian Society, Vegan Society. | No federal vegan mark. A brand claim is still useful evidence against animal fat, not a fatwa. |
| What the pack will never say | The feedstock of E471 (palm vs pork). The organism behind enzymes. | Same gap. | Same gap, plus the alcohol inside natural flavor. |
Then paste the list or scan the barcode. Cosmetics use INCI names — see cosmetics. Ambiguous class words live on the decoder.