E307 - Alpha-tocopherol

At a glance

• What it is: Alpha-tocopherol is the main dietary form of vitamin E and a fat-soluble antioxidant.
• What it does in food: Slows oxidation, helping oils, snacks, and baked goods stay fresh longer.
• Where it’s found: Common in vegetable oils, spreads, nut butters, cereals, and snacks.
• Safety: Approved in the U.S. and EU when used as intended; issues mainly relate to high-dose supplements, not normal food use.
• Also known as: E307; vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol).

Why is Alpha-tocopherol added to food?

Food manufacturers use alpha-tocopherol to slow down oxidation—the chemical reaction that makes fats turn rancid and flavors fade. This keeps products tasting fresher for longer and helps stabilize colors in fatty foods.¹ In the U.S., tocopherols are “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) when used in line with good manufacturing practice, which covers the typical antioxidant uses in foods.²

What foods contain Alpha-tocopherol?

You’ll most often see E307 on labels of foods that contain oils or fats, such as:

• Vegetable oils and oil-based spreads
• Nut butters and roasted nuts
• Baked goods, granola, and cereal bars
• Savory snacks and instant noodles
• Salad dressings and mayonnaise
• Plant-based milks and meal replacements

It may appear on labels as “alpha-tocopherol,” “tocopherols,” or “vitamin E.”

What can replace Alpha-tocopherol?

Other antioxidants or freshness protectors can fill a similar role, depending on the food:

• Natural options: extracts of rosemary, ascorbic acid, and ascorbyl palmitate
• Synthetic antioxidants: BHA, BHT, and TBHQ
• Helper ingredients that slow oxidation by binding metals: citric acid
• Related vitamin E sources: tocopherol-rich extract

The right substitute depends on the product’s fat type, flavor profile, and shelf-life goals.

How is Alpha-tocopherol made?

Manufacturers obtain alpha-tocopherol in two main ways:

• From plants: It can be extracted and purified from vegetable oils (such as soybean or sunflower) that naturally contain tocopherols.¹
• By synthesis: It can be produced from common starting materials in a controlled process, yielding alpha-tocopherol for food use that meets purity specifications.¹

Both routes are standardized so the finished ingredient meets strict identity and purity criteria before it goes into food.¹

Is Alpha-tocopherol safe to eat?

Regulators in the U.S. affirm tocopherols as GRAS when used according to good manufacturing practice, which is how antioxidants like E307 are typically used in foods.² In the EU, scientists re-evaluated alpha-tocopherol (E307) and related tocopherols and found no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels as food additives.¹

Does Alpha-tocopherol have any benefits?

Alpha-tocopherol is the main form of vitamin E in the body. It helps protect cells from oxidative damage as part of a balanced diet.³ For adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 15 mg/day of alpha-tocopherol, and routine food uses of E307 can contribute small amounts toward that goal.³

Who should avoid Alpha-tocopherol?

• People taking blood thinners (for example, warfarin) or those with bleeding disorders should be cautious with high-dose vitamin E supplements, because large intakes may increase bleeding risk.³
• The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for adults is 1,000 mg/day of supplemental alpha-tocopherol—far above the tiny amounts used as a food additive, but an important limit for supplements.³

If you have a medical condition or take medicines that affect clotting, talk with your healthcare provider before using high-dose vitamin E supplements.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “E307 is synthetic only.” Fact: It can be sourced from plants or made by synthesis; both forms must meet strict purity rules.
• Myth: “Vitamin E in foods is just a preservative.” Fact: It helps protect freshness and also adds small amounts of an essential nutrient.
• Myth: “E306 and E307 are the same.” Fact: E306 is a tocopherol-rich extract; E307 is specifically alpha-tocopherol.

Alpha-tocopherol in branded foods

On ingredient lists, E307 often appears as “alpha-tocopherol” or “tocopherols (to protect freshness).” You’ll commonly find it in bottled cooking oils, nut butters, cereal and snack bars, chips and crackers, ready-to-eat cereals, dressings, and mayonnaise. Many brands use it when they want a label-friendly antioxidant that helps keep flavors stable in fatty foods.

References

Footnotes

1. Re-evaluation of tocopherol-rich extract, alpha-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol (E 306–E 309) as food additives — EFSA Journal. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4247 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. 21 CFR § 182.3890 Tocopherols — U.S. FDA (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-182/subpart-G/section-182.3890 ↩ ↩²

3. Vitamin E Fact Sheet — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴