E941 - Nitrogen

At a glance

Here are the basics about nitrogen in food.

• What it is: An inert gas used as a packaging gas and propellant.
• What it does: Displaces oxygen to slow oxidation and staling; provides pressure for sprays and foams.
• Where you’ll see it: Snack bags, ground coffee, ready meals, beer and coffee “nitro” drinks, whipped cream cans.
• Label names: “Nitrogen,” “E941,” sometimes “packaged in a protective atmosphere.”
• Additive family: Food-grade gases, alongside carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and argon.

Why is Nitrogen added to food?

Nitrogen is added because it is inert—it does not react easily with foods. In the European Union (EU), E941 is authorized as a “packaging gas” and “propellant,” meaning it can fill headspace in packs or provide pressure to dispense products from containers.¹ The Codex Alimentarius (the international food standards program of the FAO/WHO) also lists nitrogen for these same functions.²

By pushing out oxygen in sealed packs (a method called modified atmosphere packaging, or MAP), nitrogen helps slow oxidation, rancidity, color loss, and staling. In aerosols, the gas provides the pressure that helps form and dispense foams or sprays without adding flavor.

What foods contain Nitrogen?

You are most likely to find nitrogen in:

• Crisps and snack bags filled with “cushion gas” to protect chips and keep them crisp.
• Ground coffee and whole-bean coffee packs sealed under a protective atmosphere.
• Ready meals, salads, cheeses, and deli meats packed under MAP.
• Aerosol products like cooking sprays and whipped toppings.
• Drinks that feature a creamy “nitro” texture (for example, some stouts and cold-brew coffees). In winemaking, nitrogen is also used as an inert gas to move wine and limit oxidation.³

On labels, it may appear as “nitrogen,” “E941,” or as a statement like “packaged in a protective atmosphere.”

What can replace Nitrogen?

Other food-grade gases can serve similar roles:

• Carbon dioxide can be used alone or mixed with nitrogen for MAP; it also adds fizz to drinks.
• Argon is another inert gas sometimes used in high-value wines or foods.
• Nitrous oxide is commonly used as an aerosol propellant, especially for whipped cream.
• Oxygen is occasionally used in controlled amounts for certain fresh foods to maintain color.

The choice depends on the food, desired shelf life, texture, and flavor impact.

How is Nitrogen made?

Food-grade nitrogen is produced industrially, most often by separating it from air. Two common methods are:

• Fractional distillation of liquefied air in large air-separation units.
• Pressure swing adsorption (PSA), which uses special materials to capture oxygen and let nitrogen pass.

These are standard industrial processes also used to make medical and industrial gases.⁴

Is Nitrogen safe to eat?

In the EU, nitrogen (E941) is an approved food additive with official identity and purity specifications, and it may be used for authorized purposes under food law.¹⁵ Codex standards list nitrogen as a packaging gas and propellant to be used in line with good manufacturing practice (GMP).² Nitrogen itself is inert and non-toxic; it does not add flavor or react with foods at typical use levels.

Does Nitrogen have any benefits?

• Helps keep flavors and aromas fresher by slowing oxidation.
• Maintains texture and crunch by limiting moisture and oxygen exposure.
• Enables foams and sprays without adding taste or sugar.
• Creates a smooth, creamy mouthfeel in “nitro” beverages without dairy.

Who should avoid Nitrogen?

Nitrogen gas used in food packaging and as a propellant is safe when used as intended. The main cautions relate to handling pressurized containers and to liquid nitrogen used in culinary applications. Liquid nitrogen should never be ingested or handled without proper safety measures because of the risk of severe cold burns and internal injury.⁶ This warning concerns cryogenic liquid nitrogen, not the small amounts of gaseous nitrogen used as E941 in foods and drinks.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “The puffed snack bag is full of air.”
  Fact: It’s filled mostly with nitrogen to protect the food and keep it crisp.

• Myth: “Nitrogen is the same as laughing gas.”
  Fact: Laughing gas is nitrous oxide, listed as E942. Nitrogen (E941) is different.

• Myth: “Nitrogen makes food last forever.”
  Fact: It helps slow spoilage by reducing oxygen, but safe storage and refrigeration are still needed.

• Myth: “Nitrogen gas is toxic to eat.”
  Fact: Nitrogen is inert and makes up about 78% of the air we breathe; in food it is used to protect quality.

Nitrogen in branded foods

• Snack foods: Labeled as “nitrogen” or “E941,” often with “packaged in a protective atmosphere.”
• Coffee: Whole bean and ground coffee may state “nitrogen flushed” or similar wording.
• Aerosols: Cooking sprays and whipped toppings list nitrogen as a propellant.
• Drinks: Some canned stouts and cold-brew coffees use nitrogen for a creamy “nitro” pour.

References

Footnotes

1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333 ↩ ↩²

2. Nitrogen (INS 941) — Codex GSFA Additive Details. https://www.fao.org/gsfaonline/additives/details.html?id=279 ↩ ↩²

3. Use of inert gas (carbon dioxide or nitrogen) in wine operations — 27 CFR §24.246, eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-27/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-24/section-24.246 ↩

4. Nitrogen — PubChem, National Institutes of Health. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Nitrogen ↩

5. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩

6. Liquid Nitrogen in Food and Drinks: A Potential Hazard — U.S. FDA Consumer Update. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/liquid-nitrogen-food-drinks-potential-hazard ↩