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E941Glazing agentLow concern
Nitrogen
In plain words
The short version
An inert packaging gas — displaces oxygen to extend the shelf life of snacks, coffee, and ready meals.
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
No ADI necessary (JECFA, 1980) — completely inert and a major component of the air we breathe. The only practical hazard is asphyxiation from displacement of oxygen in confined spaces during industrial handling.
The detail
Industrially separated from atmospheric air by cryogenic distillation or pressure-swing adsorption. Air is 78% nitrogen by volume — production is essentially limitless.
Inert flushing gas for modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) — displaces oxygen in chip bags (the puff that protects fragile crisps), ground coffee, ready meals, salad bags, and instant-noodle cups. Liquid nitrogen used for blast-freezing and rapid cooling of beverages. Inert gas blanket on wine tank.
Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas at standard conditions. Liquid form at –196 °C. Practically insoluble in water at room temperature.
Permitted globally without restrictive limits — quantum satis for all packaging applications.
Sources
- JECFA — Nitrogen (INS 941), evaluation 1980 — WHO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 1980. safety: no ADI necessary; functional class freezing agent / propellant
- 21 CFR 184.1540 — Nitrogen (affirmed GRAS) — US eCFR (Office of the Federal Register), 2026. regulation and origin: GRAS under GMP as propellant, aerating agent and gas; produced by fractionation of liquid air
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, Annex II Part C, Group I (consolidated text of 18.08.2026) — EUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union, 2026. regulation: EU Group I additive at quantum satis
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.