Food Additive · EU 240

Formaldehyde

FDA status: Approved. EU: Approved. No U.S. state has enacted a specific ban yet.

Low Risk
Score 4 of 5
Formaldehyde: 4/5 (Low Risk)

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Formaldehyde is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it independently of federal policy. Its composite safety score is 4 out of 5 (Low Risk), and the European Union separately classifies it as approved.

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The verdict

Formaldehyde is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it.

4/5
Low Risk
Approved
FDA status
Approved
EU status
0
state regulations

E-number regulatory snapshot

Formaldehyde: no OFF product match; EU code 240 is the standout identifier.

Property Value Source
E-Number 240 EU additive register
FDA Status Approved FDA SAFFA
EU Status Approved EC 1333/2008
CAS Number - CAS Registry
Category Food Additive FDA functional class
Composite Safety Score 4 / 5 (Low Risk) PlainIngredients methodology
EFSA ADI Not established EFSA scientific opinion
U.S. State Actions 0 states State legislative records
Tracked Products Not yet tracked Open Food Facts (US)

Values reflect official agency classifications as published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union's regulatory framework. See our methodology for scoring details.

What is Formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is a food additive (240) classified as food additive.

Common Uses

Various processed foods

Catalog-profile peer axes

Nationwide catalog-profile peers for Formaldehyde

Product-count (0) and safety-score (4/5) peer columns, disjoint link sets.

Score 4/5 peers (≥50 OFF products)

Nearest other additives by PlainIngredients safety score (floored at ≥50 tracked products), distinct from the count row.

8 peers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Formaldehyde safe to consume?

Formaldehyde scores 4/5 (Low Risk). FDA status is Approved. No OFF product match yet; EU additive code 240 is the standout identifier on this row.