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Carbon dioxide (E290)

Carbon dioxide (E290) is one of the markers Open Food Facts uses to classify a food as ultra-processed (NOVA group 4).

What it is and why it counts

Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.

Cosmetic additives

NOVA calls these additives "cosmetic": they change how a product looks, feels or tastes rather than keeping it safe to eat. Their presence is one of the two defining signs of an ultra-processed food.

Function

Preservative
Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
Propellent gas
Propellants are gases other than air which expel a foodstuff from a container.

Functional class definitions from the EU food additives regulation, via Open Food Facts.

More about carbon dioxide (E290) on Wikidata

Where it turns up

Carbon dioxide (E290) appears in 155 of the 40,000 products on this site (0%).

Products containing carbon dioxide (E290)

Showing the 60 most popular of 155.

How the NOVA classification works