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E938Glazing agentLow concern
Argon
In plain words
The short version
A noble inert packaging gas — used for wine and oil purging where nitrogen-acceptable interactions are unwanted.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
ADI not specified — completely inert noble gas. The only practical hazard is asphyxiation from oxygen displacement in confined spaces (industrial-safety concern).
The detail
Industrially separated from atmospheric air by cryogenic distillation — air is 0.93% argon by volume. Heavier than nitrogen, so settles into bottle and container head-spaces without much mixing with overlying air.
Used as a head-space gas in premium wine bottles, high-quality edible oils, and encapsulated supplements where the slightly higher inertness and density advantage over nitrogen matter. Less common than nitrogen because of higher cost — niche but real applications.
Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas at standard conditions. Practically insoluble in water and oils. Denser than air.
Permitted globally without restrictive limits — quantum satis for packaging applications.
Sources
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of argon (E 938) and helium (E 939) as food additives (2024) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA Journal), 2024. safety: inert gas, no safety concern, no ADI needed
- EU — Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated version of 18 August 2026 — Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex), 2026. regulation: quantum satis in all foods, including foods for infants
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.