What is E334?
An organic acid used to provide acidity and support flavour balance in permitted foods. Goodnessly rates E334 Safe, while food-category permissions and regulator conditions still apply.
An organic acid used to provide acidity and support flavour balance in permitted foods. Check the food category, amount and full formulation rather than judging one ingredient in isolation.
Download our app to check additives in everyday foods · Eco score: Coming Soon
Read the FAQ →
What is Tartaric acid?
An organic acid used to provide acidity and support flavour balance in permitted foods. Its function depends on the formulation and the conditions attached to the permitted use.
What's it used for?
- Providing acidity
- Supporting flavour balance
- Helping maintain a target pH
- Serving a specified acidity-regulator function
Where you'll find E334 on the shelf
You may see E334 in packaged foods where its technical function is useful and the food category permits it.
Is E334 permitted? What the regulators say
Tartaric acid is listed in the checked AU/NZ and EU frameworks with conditions, and the US source gives a specified food-use pathway. Permission is conditional: category, level, identity and specifications matter.
| Region | Status | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| AU/NZ Australia & New Zealand (FSANZ) | Permitted with conditions | FSANZ Schedule 15 lists tartaric acid for specified categories and conditions. [FSANZ source] |
| EU European Union (EUR-Lex) | Authorised with conditions | The consolidated Union list includes E334 for specified categories and conditions of use. [EUR-Lex source] |
| US United States (FDA) | Permitted with conditions | FDA 21 CFR §184.1099 affirms tartaric acid for food use under current good manufacturing practice. [FDA source] |
Goodnessly rates E334 Safe within its rating system. The rating does not remove the need to consider the product category, amount or full formulation.
- JECFA’s group ADI is 0–30 mg/kg body weight/day expressed as L(+)-tartaric acid.
- EFSA working-group records stated that the re-evaluation of tartaric acid and tartrates was still being prepared pending additional information; no completed newer opinion was identified in the checked records.
- The current EU Union list and FDA food-use provision were checked for identity and conditions.
This section is checked periodically rather than continuously — confirm the current primary source before relying on a regulatory detail.
Who might want to limit or avoid it
- People comparing additive functions across products
- People checking the frequency of this ingredient in their usual foods
- People who want to consider the whole formulation and serving pattern
Goodnessly rates E334 Safe as a practical prompt to understand the ingredient, the product and the overall formulation.
How to spot it on a label
Look for:
- Tartaric acid
- 334
- E334
- Additive class (334)
Ingredient labels may use the name, the number, or the additive class followed by the number.
Related additives
Frequently asked questions
What is E334?
E334 is Tartaric acid, an organic acid used to provide acidity and support flavour balance in permitted foods.
Is E334 permitted?
E334 is listed with conditions in Australia/New Zealand and the EU, and the FDA source gives a specified US food-use pathway.
What should I know about tartaric acid?
Use depends on the food category, amount, identity and the applicable regulator conditions; a listing is not a blanket permission for every food.
How does Goodnessly rate E334?
Goodnessly rates E334 (Tartaric acid) as Safe within its rating system.
Don't decode labels by hand
Scan any product with the Goodnessly app to see its full additive breakdown and understand the label at a glance.
Download our app to check additives in everyday foods · Eco score: Coming Soon