Additives permitted in cheese under Vietnam's Circular 24/2019

A piece of cheese does not carry everything in this list; it is what Circular 24/2019/TT-BYT permits in four groups of cheese and cheese-like products.

What's actually on the label

Vinamilk processed cheeseE452 E407a E401 E508 E330 E339^[7]✓ Every code is permitted in Vietnam (Circular 24/2019)
Chesdale Cheddar milk-flavour sliced cheese, 250 gE331 E339 E330 E200 E160b^[8]✓ Every code is permitted in Vietnam (Circular 24/2019)

List under Appendix 2A, Circular 24/2019

Risk level on the Yenzo Scale, not the Circular's.

Moderate risk

4 of 30

E160fEthyl ester of beta-apo-8'-carotenoic acid E203Calcium sorbate E239Hexamethylene tetramine E541Sodium aluminium phosphate, acidic

Very low risk

6 of 30

E160aCarotenes E172Iron oxides and iron hydroxides E234Nisin E509Calcium chloride E575Glucono-delta-lactone E1105Lysozyme

About this list

Fresh cheese, ripened cheese, sliced cheese and cheese spreads have a place in Annex 2A: “unripened cheese”, “ripened cheese”, “processed cheese” and “cheese analogues”^[2], with their additives given in the same annex^[1]. Natamycin (E235) is a preservative, and the circular adds its own footnote: “surface treatment of the product”^[3]. Sorbic acid (E200) has its maximum “expressed as sorbic acid”^[4], and phosphoric acid (E338) is expressed as phosphorus^[5]. Labels show group plus number. Codex describes a preservative as something that lets food keep longer by stopping microbial spoilage^[6].

The list comes from the “found in” section of each additive's page: the food groups of Circular 24/2019/TT-BYT, Appendix 2A (maximum levels of additives in food). Being listed means the additive is permitted there, not that every product contains it.

Related additive categories

Emulsifying salts Preservatives

Sources

Updated: 23 October 2026

Information only, not medical advice. The risk level is the additive's class in Yenzo's open scoring method, based on the cited source.