19/02/2026
Ailments: asthma and/or other respiratory ailments.
•102/E12/Tartrazine: asthma. Sweets, confectionery, yoghurt, jam, chewing gum, ice cream, jelly, beverages, soap, crayons, Dexedrine, cosmetic, wool and silk dyeing, medicines.
•104/E104/Quinoline yellow: asthma. Ices, beverages, processed foods, soap, medicines, cosmetics, toothpaste.
•110/E110/Sunset yellow FCF: asthma. Ice cream, jam, processed foods, sweets, beverages, soups, medicines, Ventolin syrup, cosmetics.
•120/E120/Cochineal, carmines, carminic acid: asthma. Bakery products, biscuits, desserts, beverages, lipstick, medicines, cosmetic, mascara, tablets.
•122/E122/Azorubine or carmoisine: asthma. Jam, processed foods, jelly, preserves, mouthwash, medicines.
•123/E123/Amaranth (the synthetic chemical, not the grain): asthma. Jam, ice cream, fruit juice, wine based drinks, confectionery, beverages, rouge, cosmetics, lipstick.
•124/E124/Ponceau 4R: asthma. Soups, desserts, pie fillings, cheesecake, jam, jelly, confectionery, hair rinse, toothpaste.
•127/E127/Erythrosine: asthma. Biscuits, canned fruit, cocktail, maraschino and glace cherries, cosmetics, plaque disclosing agent, toothpaste.
•129/E129/Allura red AC: asthma. Beverages, processed foods, lipstick, cosmetic, medicine.
•132/E132/Indigotine: asthma. Biscuits, ice cream, processed foods, beverages, confectionery, sweets, denim, hair rinse, Strattera, medicines.
•133/E133/Brilliant blue FCF: asthma. Canned peas, processed foods, sweets, beverages, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, mouthwash, medicines.
•142/E142/Green S: asthma. Mint sauce, cake mix, ice cream, beverages, textiles.
•150b/E150b/Caramel III: asthma. Alcoholic beverages, vegetable extract.
•150d/E150d/Caramel IV: asthma. soft drinks, whisky, stout, cosmetics, skin lotion, ci******es.
•151/E151/Brilliant black BN or brilliant black PN: asthma. Sweets, beverages, desserts, cosmetics.
•155/E155/Brown HT: asthma. Cake mix, processed foods, chocolate flavoured milk, medicine.
•200/E200/Sorbic acid: asthma. Bread, jam, icings, confectionery, cosmetics, toothpaste.
•202/E202/Potassium sorbate: asthma. Icings, confections, jam, cosmetics, sunscreen.
•203/E203/Calcium sorbate: asthma. Cheese, ice confections, cosmetics, toothpaste.
•210/E210/Benzoic acid: asthma. Pickles, soft drinks, jam, cosmetics, medicines.
•211/E211/Sodium benzoate: asthma. Jam, fruit juice, pickles, soft drinks, pet food, vaccines, cosmetics, medicines.
•212/E212/Potassium benzoate: asthma. Fruit juice, pickles, soft drink, jam, pet food, vaccines, cosmetics, medicines.
•213/E213/Calcium benzoate: asthma. Jam, fruit juice, pickles, soft drink, pet food, vaccines, cosmetics, medicines.
•220/E220/Sulphur dioxide: asthma. Wine, dried fruit, fungicide, bleaching agent for paper and textiles.
•221/E221/Sodium sulphite: asthma. Jelly, jam, dried fruit, pulp and paper industry.
•222/E22/Sodium bisulphite: bronchial asthma. Cheese, dried fruit, wine, bread, jam, cosmetics, sunscreen.
•223/E223/Sodium metabisulphite: asthma. bread, dried fruit, cheese, wine, jam, hairspray, sunscreen, cosmetics, moisturiser.
•224/E224/Potassium metabisulphite: asthma. bread, cheese, dried fruit, cosmetics.
•225/Potassium sulphite: asthma. Dried fruit, cheese, hair care products.
•228/E228/Potassium bisulphite: bronchial asthma. Jam, dried fruit, cosmetics.
•249/E249/Potassium nitrite: asthma. Processed meats, manufacture of heat transfer salts.
•250/E250/Sodium nitrite: asthma. Processed meats, anticorrosive in some products.
•251/E251/Sodium nitrate: asthma. Processed meats, fertiliser, to***co.
•252/E252/Potassium nitrate: asthma. Processed meats, fertiliser, to***co.
•310/E310/Propyl gallate: asthma. Edible oils, oil emulsions, chewing gum, cosmetics, lubricants.
•311/E311/Octyl gallate: asthma. Edible oils, oil emulsions, chewing gum, medical preparations.
•312/E312/Dodecyl gallate: asthma. Edible oils, oil emulsions, chewing gum, lipstick, inks, pharmaceutical creams.
•320/E320/Butylated hydroxyanisole: asthma. Oil emulsions, butter oil blends, edible oils (might not be listed on labels), milk powder, dried instant mashed potato, chewing gum and bubble gum, lipstick, food packaging, perfumery, eyed shadow, mascara.
•321/E321/Butylated hydroxytoluene: asthma. Edible oils (might not be listed on labels), oil emulsions, chewing gum and bubblegum, food packaging, lipstick, eye shadow, pharmaceutical, perfumery.
•412/E412/Guar gum: asthma (occupational). Infant foods, cheese, slimming agents, cosmetics.
•416/E416/Karaya gum: asthma. Citrus and spice flavours,, rouge, shaving cream, beauty masks.
•621/E621/Monosodium L-glutamate or MSG: bronchospasm in asthmatics. Gelatine and yeast extract, soy sauce, seasoning, TVP, HVP, hydrolysed protein, found in over 10,000 foods including malt extract, cosmetics, vaccines.
•627/E627/Disodium 5’-guanylate: should be avoided by asthmatics. Packet or canned soup, instant noodles, party pies, flavoured chips, stock cubes.
•631/E631/Disodium 5’-inosinate: should be avoided by asthmatics. Instant noodles, stock cubes, party pies, flavoured chips, packet or canned soup.
•635/E635/Disodium 5’-ribonucleotides: should be avoided by asthmatics. Instant noodles, stock cubes, party pies, flavoured chips, packet or canned soup.
•951/E951/Aspartame: asthma. Chewing gum, sugar free foods, brewed soft drink, diet drinks and foods, confectionery, beverages, used in over 5000 food products, vitamins, medicines.
The Chemical Maze Shopping Companion, Bill Statham.