What is E1510?

Complete guide to understanding E1510 (Ethanol) – the universal food solvent and flavor carrier

The Quick Answer

E1510 is ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol or alcohol)—a volatile, colorless liquid that is used in food production as a solvent, flavor carrier, and preservative. It’s the same compound that is the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages. In food manufacturing, E1510 is used to dissolve flavoring compounds, essential oils, and other substances that are insoluble in water, allowing manufacturers to incorporate these into foods and beverages.

E1510 is produced either through natural fermentation of sugars by yeast (creating naturally occurring ethanol) or through synthetic/petrochemical processes. Both sources result in chemically identical ethanol. It appears in numerous products: alcohol-free beers and beverages (which contain small amounts of ethanol), flavor extracts, liqueurs, perfumed foods, and as a preservative in various products.

E1510 is FDA-approved and EU-authorized as a food additive with generally recognized safety status. However, E1510 has an unusual regulatory position: it’s often not explicitly listed in official EU E-number schedules (appearing as “unapproved” in some databases despite being in common use), and its halal/kosher status is debated among religious authorities depending on fermentation source and concentration.

What Exactly Is It?

E1510 is ethanol (C₂H₅OH)—a simple organic alcohol compound consisting of two carbon atoms, six hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom, arranged in a specific molecular structure. It’s the same chemical compound that is the psychoactive ingredient in alcoholic beverages, but when used as E1510, it serves a technological/functional purpose in food production rather than as a beverage ingredient.

Think of ethanol as a universal solvent. Water dissolves many substances but fails with oils, resins, and volatile aromatic compounds. Ethanol dissolves virtually everything—making it invaluable for extracting and concentrating flavors, essential oils, and other compounds that must be incorporated into foods. It also functions as a mild preservative due to its antimicrobial properties.

Key characteristic: E1510 is chemically identical whether produced through fermentation (natural) or chemical synthesis (petrochemical). There is no difference in the molecule itself—only the origin differs. This is important for consumers concerned about “natural” vs. “synthetic” additives: both E1510 sources are the same chemical.

Chemical identity:

• Molecular structure: Two-carbon alcohol with hydroxyl (-OH) functional group
• Chemical formula: C₂H₅OH or CH₃CH₂OH (shows two carbons with one -OH group)
• Functional group: Primary alcohol (-CH₂OH) on second carbon
• Structural isomers: Dimethyl ether (CH₃OCH₃) has same molecular formula but different structure; ethanol is the alcohol form
• Volatility: Low boiling point (78.4°C) means it evaporates readily at food processing and cooking temperatures

How it’s made:

E1510 is produced through two primary methods—both yielding identical ethanol:

• Fermentation (natural method): Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ferments sugars (from sugar cane, sugar beets, grains, potatoes, corn) under anaerobic conditions; produces ethanol and CO₂ as byproducts
• Synthetic/Petrochemical (industrial method): Ethylene (from petroleum/natural gas) hydrated through acid-catalyzed reactions to produce ethanol; OR acetaldehyde reduced to ethanol
• Chemical identity: Both methods produce C₂H₅OH with identical properties; no chemical difference
• Purity: Both crude and refined ethanol purified through distillation to food-grade specifications (typically >99.5% purity)

Where You’ll Find It

E1510 appears in numerous foods where flavor extraction or preservation is needed:

Primary Food Applications:

• Flavor extracts and essential oils (PRIMARY USE) – vanilla extract, lemon extract, other flavor concentrates; ethanol dissolves and carries flavors
• Alcohol-free beers and beverages – small amounts of ethanol remain after fermentation/processing
• Liqueurs and spirits – primary ingredient (but then classified as beverage, not food additive)
• Perfumed foods and flavored products – where aromatic compounds must be incorporated
• Botanical extracts – herbal infusions, plant extracts in supplements
• Flavor syrups – used as solvent for flavor concentrates
• Medicinal foods and nutritional supplements – as solvent and preservative
• Canned goods and preserved foods – mild preservative effect
• Cosmetics and personal care products with food applications – mouthwash, toothpaste with flavor
• Vinegars and condiments – small amounts as preservative

Regulatory scope: EU Authorization—E1510 is listed in Wikipedia and various EU food additive resources, though sometimes marked as “unapproved” in certain databases despite actual approval. FDA—Approved for food use as a GRAS ingredient.

Primary food application: E1510 is most extensively used as a solvent for flavor extracts and essential oils—allowing manufacturers to incorporate concentrated flavors that would otherwise be insoluble in water-based foods and beverages.

Why Do Food Companies Use It?

E1510’s primary function is serving as a universal solvent that allows manufacturers to dissolve and incorporate flavor compounds, essential oils, and other substances that are insoluble in water.

Food manufacturers use ethanol for:

• Flavor extraction: Dissolves aromatic compounds, essential oils, flavor essences
• Flavor carrier: Carries dissolved flavors throughout food/beverage product
• Solvent function: Only solvent capable of dissolving many botanical and aromatic compounds
• Preservative effect: Mild antimicrobial properties help preserve products
• Processing aid: Facilitates incorporation of otherwise insoluble ingredients
• Extract production: Enables production of concentrated flavor/botanical extracts
• Cost efficiency: Economical way to achieve high flavor concentration
• Regulatory acceptance: FDA and EU approved; widely recognized
• Volatility advantage: Evaporates during cooking/heating, reducing final ethanol content
• No flavor impact: Itself neutral; doesn’t affect taste (though flavor compounds it carries do)

Unique advantage: E1510 is irreplaceable for many applications—there is no water-based alternative that can dissolve oils and volatile aromatic compounds. For products requiring concentrated flavors, ethanol is often the only viable option.

Is It Safe?

E1510 is approved for food use and considered safe when used at specified levels and concentrations.

Regulatory approval:

• FDA status (USA): Approved; GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) for food use
• EU authorization: Approved as food additive; listed in EU additive regulations (though sometimes marked as “unapproved” in certain database formats)
• JECFA status: Evaluated and recognized as safe
• International approval: Approved in virtually all food regulatory jurisdictions

Safety profile:

• No acute toxicity: Safe at food use levels
• No chronic toxicity: Long-term studies show no harm at food use concentrations
• No adverse effects: No documented adverse health effects from food-grade ethanol use as additive
• No carcinogenicity: No evidence of cancer-causing potential
• Human metabolism: Ethanol completely metabolized by liver via normal pathways (same as beverage alcohol, but in trace amounts)
• Minimal exposure: Concentrations in food products typically <5% and further reduced by evaporation during cooking
• Fermentation product: Naturally occurring in many foods without addition
• Long history of use: Ethanol used in fermentation for thousands of years; synthetic production for over a century
• No documented harm: At food additive use levels, no safety concerns identified
• Vegan/Vegetarian: Safe for these dietary restrictions (chemically identical to all sources)
• Allergen potential: Minimal; most allergies attributed to flavoring agents dissolved in ethanol, not ethanol itself

Noted religious considerations (not safety concerns):

• Halal status: Debated depending on source (fermented vs. synthetic) and final concentration in product; some Islamic scholars consider fermentation-derived ethanol permissible if concentration minimal
• Kosher status: Generally acceptable; depends on specific Jewish interpretation
• Seventh-day Adventist: Some adherents avoid due to alcohol origin

The Bottom Line

E1510 (ethanol/ethyl alcohol) is a simple organic alcohol used as a solvent and flavor carrier in food production. It’s the most versatile solvent available for extracting and concentrating flavor compounds and essential oils. Whether produced through fermentation or chemical synthesis, the resulting ethanol is chemically identical and safe for food use.

Key advantages: E1510 is safe at food use levels. FDA and EU-approved. Universal solvent capability for flavors and essential oils. Naturally occurring in fermented foods. Minimal exposure in final products due to evaporation. No documented adverse effects. Decades of safe use history.

For consumers: E1510 is safe when encountered in food products. The amount present is typically minimal and often further reduced during cooking. E1510 is not the psychoactive substance you encounter in beverages—the concentrations are far too low to have any effect. Most fermented foods naturally contain small amounts of ethanol anyway, making E1510 use as an additive simply a more controlled version of this natural process.

Primary application: E1510 is most useful in flavor extraction—enabling manufacturers to create concentrated flavors (vanilla extract, lemon oil, etc.) that would be impossible to achieve using only water. For products requiring complex flavoring, ethanol is often the only practical option.

Regulatory note: E1510 sometimes appears as “unapproved” in EU databases due to database formatting conventions, but it is actually approved and in common use. The regulatory approval is clear despite occasional database anomalies.