1A code number preceded by the letter E, denoting food additives numbered in accordance with EU directives.
〈英〉E数（以字母E开头的代码数字，表示按照欧盟指令编号的食品添加剂）
Example sentencesExamples
Food campaigners have accused companies of deliberately misleading consumers, many of whom need to check labels for health reasons, by listing a mixture of additive names and E-numbers.
Once an additive has been approved as safe across the European Union, it is assigned an E-number.
The magazine concludes that additives are essential to provide safe, convenient food all year round but questions the need for E-number ingredients to make food more colourful.
1.1informal A food additive.
〈非正式〉食品添加剂
Example sentencesExamples
I don't know what ingredients they put in those suspiciously yellow, polystyrene-like slithers of E-numbers (well, there's certainly no potato in them, I'll bet), but they make tube travel almost unbearable.
The E-numbers just temporarily addled my brain..
There is nothing the six-year-old likes more now than to strut around the living room, cranked up on E-numbers after eating too many bags.
Today I have eaten at least a pound of pure E-numbers.
The crisps are hand-fried using the finest flavourings - we don't use E-numbers or artificial flavourings.