Lecithin citrate
Function: Antioxidants
E344 is the European food-additive number for Lecithin citrate, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Lecithin citrate (E344) is a food additive used as a food additive.
What is E344 used for?
Lecithin citrate (E344) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Antioxidants (E-numbers).
Is E344 safe or restricted?
E344 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No known concern” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E344 vegan or vegetarian?
Lecithin citrate (E344) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E344?
E344 appears in 17 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Sweet Pastries, Oils, and Cheese.
- Sweet Pastries2
- Oils1
- Cheese1
- Coleslaw & Deli Salads1
- Pork (General)1
- Chewing Gum1
- Extruded Snacks1
- Sour Candy1
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E344 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E344
- What is E344?
- E344 is the E-number for Lecithin citrate, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Lecithin citrate (E344) is a food additive used as a food additive.
- What is E344 used for?
- Lecithin citrate (E344) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E344?
- E344 appears in 17 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Sweet Pastries, Oils, and Cheese. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E344 vegan or vegetarian?
- Lecithin citrate (E344) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E344 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E344 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as ‘No known concern’ and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E344 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan and vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.