E938 - Argon

At a glance

• What it is: An inert noble gas from the air, listed as E938.
• What it does: Works as a packaging gas to displace oxygen and moisture, helping prevent oxidation and staling.
• Where it’s found: Foods packed “in a protective atmosphere,” such as coffee, nuts, snacks, and some ready-to-eat items; also used to blanket tanks in beverage production.
• How it’s made: Separated from air, typically by cooling and distilling liquefied air in large “air separation” units.
• Safety: Authorized in the EU as a packaging gas and considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) in the U.S. when used as intended.
• Alternatives: Other protective gases like nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

Why is Argon added to food?

Argon is added to create a protective atmosphere inside packages. By pushing out oxygen, argon helps slow oxidation, color changes, and off-flavors. It is colorless, odorless, and chemically inert, so it does not react with food components or add a taste of its own.¹ In the European Union, argon is authorized as a food additive for use as a packaging gas (E938).²

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is the common term for this approach. In MAP, packers may use pure argon or blends of argon with other gases, depending on the product.

What foods contain Argon?

You’re most likely to encounter argon in:

• Coffee (whole bean and ground) packed in valve bags to help preserve aroma
• Nuts, chips, and snacks packaged to stay crisp
• Some ready-to-eat salads and cheeses packed “in a protective atmosphere”
• Beverage production settings, where gas blankets are used to reduce oxygen pickup (for example, in wine cellars and some bottling lines)

Labeling varies by region and product type. In the EU, you may see “E938,” “argon,” or simply a note such as “packaged in a protective atmosphere.”

What can replace Argon?

• Nitrogen: Inert, widely used to displace oxygen in snacks and coffee.
• Carbon dioxide: Helps inhibit the growth of many spoilage microbes, commonly blended with nitrogen for MAP.
• Nitrous oxide: Used mainly as a propellant in some whipped products, not typically for MAP.
• Helium: Inert but rarely used for food packaging due to cost and properties.
• Vacuum packaging: Removes air without adding gas; useful for some foods but not all.

The best choice depends on the product’s needs (texture, aroma, microbial stability) and desired shelf life.

How is Argon made?

Commercial argon comes from the air. Large air separation units cool and liquefy air, then use fractional distillation to draw off purified argon as a separate stream.³ When used as a food additive in the EU, argon must meet specific identity and purity criteria set in the official specifications.⁴

Is Argon safe to eat?

Within food packaging, argon is considered safe when used as intended. In the European Union it is authorized as E938 for use as a packaging gas under the food additives framework.² In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration lists argon as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for its intended uses in foods.⁵

Because argon is inert and not reactive, it is not expected to form harmful residues in food under normal conditions of use.

Does Argon have any benefits?

• Helps keep flavors and aromas by pushing out oxygen that can cause staling.
• Protects texture in crisp foods by reducing contact with humid air.
• Supports longer quality retention when combined with good packaging and storage.

These benefits are especially valued for aroma-rich products like coffee and for dry, crispy snacks.

Who should avoid Argon?

There are no specific dietary groups that need to avoid argon used in food packaging. However, argon can displace oxygen in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces, which is a workplace safety concern for people handling bulk gas cylinders or working in confined areas.³ This does not reflect normal consumer use of packaged foods.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Argon is a chemical that reacts with food.” Fact: Argon is a noble gas and is chemically inert under normal conditions.¹
• Myth: “Argon adds a taste or smell.” Fact: Argon is colorless and odorless; it’s used precisely because it does not affect flavor.¹
• Myth: “Argon in packages is toxic.” Fact: Argon is non-reactive and used to replace oxygen in the headspace; the safety concern is only for workers in confined spaces where any inert gas can displace breathable air.³

Argon in branded foods

You may see “argon,” “E938,” or phrases like “packaged in a protective atmosphere” on labels for coffee, nuts, chips, and some chilled ready-to-eat items. Beverage producers also use inert gas blanketing in tanks and during filling, though this might not appear on the consumer label. If listed, argon will typically be grouped with other packaging or propellant gases rather than as a traditional ingredient.

References

Footnotes

1. Argon (Compound CID 23968) — PubChem, NIH. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Argon ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩ ↩²

3. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Argon — CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0040.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 (additive specifications) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩

5. Food Additive Status List — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list ↩