About this session
Food labels can make ordinary products look far more complicated than they really are.
Preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, colors, acidity regulators, sweeteners, antioxidants, and other additives may appear under technical names or E-numbers, which can make it difficult to know what matters and what does not.
This session helps participants understand what common additives do, why manufacturers use them, how E-number systems work, and how additives are assessed and regulated.
The group works through real ingredient lists from products such as bread, yogurt, sauces, drinks, snacks, ready meals, plant-based alternatives, and confectionery.
Participants also explore how food processing and additives fit into the wider nutritional picture. A product with several additives is not automatically nutritionally poor, and a short ingredient list does not automatically make a food the better choice.
The goal is to help participants read labels with more confidence, recognize common additive categories, understand the purpose of ingredients they see regularly, and make food choices using the whole product rather than fear of unfamiliar names.
What your people take away
- Understand what food additives are and why they are used
- Recognize major additive categories including preservatives, colors, emulsifiers, stabilizers, sweeteners, and antioxidants
- Understand what E-numbers represent and why the terminology differs between countries
- Read ingredient lists and identify the role of common additives in real products
- Evaluate claims such as "no artificial colors," "preservative-free," and "clean label" more confidently
- Make practical choices based on the complete food, including nutrition, convenience, cost, and personal preference
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: Find Out What's Actually in the FoodA focused 30-minute session on three key points from Find Out What's Actually in the Food: turn over a familiar product, match the additive to its job and decode the E-number.
- Turn over a familiar product
- Match the additive to its job
- Decode the E-number
Covers 3 of 4 points in Find Out What's Actually in the Food.
60 minutes
60 Minutes — Decode the Ingredient ListParticipants work through real packaged foods and learn how to identify common additive categories, understand E-numbers, and connect unfamiliar ingredient names with their practical purpose.
- Module 1 — Find Out What's Actually in the Food
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 4 parts: Find Out What's Actually in the Food.
90 minutes
90 Minutes — Additives, E-Numbers & Food ClaimsThe extended session adds preservatives, colors, emulsifiers, sweeteners, antioxidants, ingredient-list comparisons, and common front-of-pack claims.
- Module 1 — Find Out What's Actually in the Food
- Module 2 — Understand the Main Additive Categories
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 4 parts: Find Out What's Actually in the Food and Understand the Main Additive Categories.
3 hours
Covers 3 of 4 parts: Find Out What's Actually in the Food, Understand the Main Additive Categories and Read Claims Without Getting Distracted.
Full day
Half-Day — Food Additives & Label Reading WorkshopParticipants work through all four modules using real ingredient lists, product comparisons, additive-identification exercises, marketing claims, and supermarket-style decision activities.
- Module 1 — Find Out What's Actually in the Food
- Module 2 — Understand the Main Additive Categories
- Module 3 — Read Claims Without Getting Distracted
- Module 4 — Build Confidence With Packaged Food
- Food Additives Quick Guide
- E-Number Reference Sheet
- Ingredient List Decoder
- Packaged Food Comparison Worksheet
- Live Q&A
Covers all 4 parts.
Also available as a 4-week program, for change that lasts. Ask us about it.
What’s covered
Find Out What's Actually in the Food
Every length- Turn over a familiar productParticipants begin with products such as bread, yogurt, sauces, snacks, drinks, or ready meals and read the ingredient list together.
- Match the additive to its jobPreservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, antioxidants, acidity regulators, colors, and sweeteners are matched with the role they play in food.
- Decode the E-numberAn E-number is an identification system for approved food additives used in European labeling, with similar substances often appearing under names or different numbering systems elsewhere.
- Compare a short and long ingredient listTwo similar products are placed side by side to explore whether ingredient-list length alone tells us much about nutritional quality.
Understand the Main Additive Categories
90 minutes and longer- Look at preservativesBread, processed meats, sauces, drinks, baked products, and other foods are used to show where preservatives may appear.
- Explore emulsifiers, stabilizers & thickenersProducts such as plant milks, ice cream, sauces, dressings, yogurts, and desserts are used to demonstrate ingredients that influence texture and prevent separation.
- Review colors & flavoring ingredientsConfectionery, drinks, snacks, flavored yogurts, desserts, and other packaged foods are used to explore color and flavor ingredients.
- Compare sweeteners & sugar replacementsProducts containing aspartame, sucralose, stevia-based sweeteners, sugar alcohols, or other alternatives are examined where locally relevant.
Read Claims Without Getting Distracted
3 hours and longer- Test "no artificial colors"A product carrying this claim is compared with one that does not and the complete ingredient list is inspected together.
- Investigate "preservative-free"Products marketed as preservative-free are compared with alternatives using other preservation techniques such as refrigeration, acidity, packaging, drying, freezing, or processing.
- Question "clean label"The session examines products using words such as clean, natural, simple, wholesome, or minimally processed.
- Look at the whole productA packaged food may contain additives while also providing useful nutrients, convenience, affordability, or a practical meal option.
Build Confidence With Packaged Food
Full day only- Practice a quick ingredient checkParticipants develop a short routine for reading unfamiliar packaged foods.
- Compare convenience optionsReady meals, soups, sauces, breads, snacks, and other convenience foods are compared for ingredients, nutrition, cost, storage, and practicality.
- Know when an additive matters personallySome individuals may need to avoid particular ingredients because of diagnosed allergies, intolerances, or specific medical advice.
- Build your own label-reading rulesThe session finishes with each participant deciding which parts of a label are genuinely useful for the foods they buy most often.
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Understanding Food Additives & E-Numbers
How long is Understanding Food Additives & E-Numbers?
Understanding Food Additives & E-Numbers runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from Find Out What's Actually in the Food: turn over a familiar product, match the additive to its job and decode the E-number. A 60-minute session covers Find Out What's Actually in the Food in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Understand the Main Additive Categories. A 3-hour session adds Read Claims Without Getting Distracted. A full-day session adds Build Confidence With Packaged Food. It is also available as a 4-week program.
Can Understanding Food Additives & E-Numbers be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Understanding Food Additives & E-Numbers?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Understanding Food Additives & E-Numbers to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.