Additives permitted in processed fish and seafood under Vietnam's Circular 24/2019

Sulfur dioxide (E220) carries the footnote “only used for molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms”^[4] and caramel class I (E150a) the footnote “only used for the batter or breadcrumb coating”^[3]; such footnotes belong to the list of additives that Circular 24/2019/TT-BYT permits in seafood, not to the composition of one pack.

What's actually on the label

Tôm viên Việt Sin gói 200gE621 E627 E631 E1412 E451 E452 E200 E202 E211 E110 E124^[6]✓ Every code is permitted in Vietnam (Circular 24/2019)
Cá viên thì là Choice L Gói 500gE1412 E407 E410 E508 E450 E451 E452 E262 E263 E300 E330 E332 E338 E316 E621 E631 E627^[7]✓ 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

9 of 79

E123Amaranth E203Calcium sorbate E220Sulphur dioxide E221Sodium sulphite E222Sodium hydrogen sulphite E223Sodium metabisulphite E224Potassium metabisulphite E225Potassium sulphite E320Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Very low risk

45 of 79

E150aPlain caramel (caramel I)E170Calcium carbonates E260Acetic acid E261Potassium acetates E262Sodium acetates E263Calcium acetate E270Lactic acid E290Carbon dioxide E296Malic acid E297Fumaric acid E300Ascorbic acid E301Sodium ascorbate E302Calcium ascorbate E304Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid E315Erythorbic acid E316Sodium erythorbate E322Lecithins E325Sodium lactate E326Potassium lactate E327Calcium lactate E330Citric acid E331Sodium citrates E332Potassium citrates E333Calcium citrates E350Sodium malates E365Sodium fumarate E400Alginic acid E401Sodium alginate E402Potassium alginate E460Cellulose E461Methyl cellulose E463Hydroxypropyl cellulose E464Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose E465Ethyl methyl cellulose E466Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)E470Salts of fatty acids (type not printed)E470aSodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids E471Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids E576Sodium gluconate E941Nitrogen E942Nitrous oxide E1400Dextrin E1404Oxidised starch E1414Acetylated distarch phosphate E1440Hydroxypropyl starch

About this list

Annex 2A splits seafood into many small groups, from “battered frozen seafood” to “fried seafood”^[2]. Annex 1 lists sulfur dioxide as a preservative^[4]; in the Codex definition, a preservative guards food against spoilage microbes so it lasts longer^[5].

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

Preservatives Antioxidants

Sources

Updated: 24 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.