E948 - Oxygen

At a glance

• What it is: Food-grade oxygen gas (O2), authorized in the EU as E948.
• What it does: Used as a packaging gas to help maintain color and quality in certain fresh foods.
• Where it’s found: Some packs of fresh red meat, seafood, and other foods sold in a protective atmosphere.
• Taste and texture: Neutral; it does not add flavor on its own.
• Regulation: In the EU, E948 is listed as a packaging gas and has purity specifications set by law.
• Typical partners: Often used alongside other gases like nitrogen or carbon dioxide in MAP.

Why is oxygen added to food?

Oxygen is added to the headspace of some packages to protect the food and keep its desirable qualities, a technique called modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The EU legally defines packaging gases as gases introduced before, during, or after filling to protect food from deterioration, and oxygen (E948) is one of the authorized gases for this purpose.¹

In fresh red meat, exposure to oxygen converts the meat pigment myoglobin to oxymyoglobin, which gives beef a bright cherry-red color that shoppers expect.² In other products, a controlled amount of oxygen can be part of a gas mix that balances color, flavor, and texture during shelf life.¹

What foods contain oxygen?

You might find oxygen used in the packaging of:

• Fresh red meat cuts (to maintain a bright red color)
• Some fish and seafood
• Certain fresh, ready-to-cook items packed in a “protective atmosphere”

In the EU, oxygen is authorized as a packaging gas across a wide range of foods when used according to additive rules.¹ Many packs will not list oxygen as an “ingredient,” but they may display a statement such as “packaged in a protective atmosphere.”³

What can replace oxygen?

Depending on the food and the goal, producers may use:

• Nitrogen to displace air and reduce oxidation
• Carbon dioxide to help slow the growth of many spoilage microbes
• Argon in certain premium MAP applications
• Oxygen scavengers (small sachets that bind oxygen) in some non-food-contact packaging systems

Gas choice always depends on the product’s needs—what keeps fresh meat red is different from what keeps snacks crisp or coffee aromatic.

How is oxygen made?

Most food-grade oxygen is produced from air by large-scale separation processes. Common methods include cryogenic distillation of liquefied air and pressure swing adsorption (PSA), which concentrate oxygen to high purity for industrial and food uses.⁴ These processes also yield other useful gases, like nitrogen.

Is oxygen safe to eat?

When used as intended as a packaging gas, oxygen (E948) is regulated in the EU and must meet specific purity criteria laid down in additive law.⁵ Its use as a packaging gas is authorized under the EU food additive framework, which sets out where and how packaging gases may be used.¹ For consumers, the gas dissipates once the pack is opened; it does not “remain” in the food in a way that would create a unique dietary exposure.

Does oxygen have any benefits?

• Helps keep fresh red meat an appealing red color by promoting oxymyoglobin formation.²
• Can be part of a carefully balanced gas mix that supports quality (appearance, texture, flavor) during shelf life.¹
• Is neutral in taste and odor, so it does not change the flavor of foods on its own.

Who should avoid oxygen?

There are no known food allergies or intolerances to oxygen. As a packaging gas, it is used around the food rather than as a nutrient or flavoring. People who prefer to minimize oxidation of certain foods at home can simply store them properly (cool, dark, sealed) and consume them by the date shown.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “If a pack contains oxygen, the food must be extra fresh.”
  Fact: Packaging gases help maintain quality, but freshness still depends on handling, temperature, and time.
• Myth: “Oxygen in packs adds a chemical taste.”
  Fact: Oxygen is flavorless; it does not add taste to foods.
• Myth: “If the pack has oxygen, it doesn’t need refrigeration.”
  Fact: Chilled foods still require proper refrigeration, regardless of the gas mix.

Oxygen in branded foods

On EU products, packaging gases are often not listed as ingredients. Instead, you may see a statement such as “packaged in a protective atmosphere,” which indicates that gases like oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide were used to protect the food.³ Some packs may also identify gases by name or E-number (for example, “oxygen (E948)”), depending on local labeling practices.

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 ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Color of Meat and Poultry — USDA FSIS. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/color-meat-and-poultry ↩ ↩²

3. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (protective atmosphere statement) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011R1169 ↩ ↩²

4. Oxygen (O2) Compound Summary — NIH PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Oxygen ↩

5. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 (additive specifications, including E948 oxygen) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩