Argon
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Description
The food additive E938, also known as argon, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless noble gas used in the food industry mainly as a propellant and packaging gas. It belongs to the category of propellant gases and packaging gases, and its main function is to displace oxygen to prevent oxidation and microbial growth, thereby extending the shelf life of foods.
Argon is a chemical element naturally found in the Earth's atmosphere (approximately 0.93% by volume). Industrially, it is obtained by fractional distillation of liquid air, a process in which nitrogen, oxygen, and argon are separated using their different boiling points. This method yields high-purity argon (≥99.99%) suitable for food use. From a physicochemical standpoint, argon is a monatomic gas, chemically inert, with a density higher than air (1.784 g/L at 0°C and 1 atm). Its solubility in water is low (approximately 33.6 mL/L at 20°C) and it does not react with other food components.
In the European Union, E938 was authorized as a food additive following Directive 95/2/EC and is currently regulated by Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated argon on several occasions, concluding that it poses no health risks under authorized conditions of use. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have also evaluated it, establishing that no specific acceptable daily intake (ADI) is required, as it is considered safe for human consumption. The overall safety assessment is very high: argon is a physiologically inert gas that is not metabolized in the body and is eliminated unchanged through the lungs.
On product labels, it must appear as "argon" or "E938", and its use is permitted in all foods where technologically necessary, without specific quantitative limits (quantum satis). In summary, E938 is a safe food additive widely used in the industry to improve food preservation, with no known adverse effects.
E938 (argon) is used in the food industry mainly as a packaging gas and propellant. It is employed in a wide variety of food categories, such as meat and poultry products (e.g., cooked ham, packaged turkey breast), dairy products (cheeses, yogurts), bakery and pastry products (sliced bread, muffins), snacks (potato chips, nuts), coffee and tea, and wines and alcoholic beverages.
In the Spanish market, it is common to find argon in packages of sliced serrano ham, grated cheese, vacuum-packed ground coffee, and potato chips. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 authorizes the use of argon in all foods where technologically necessary, without specific maximum limits (quantum satis). This means it can be used in the amount necessary to achieve the desired effect, provided the minimum required dose is not exceeded.
Compared to FDA regulations in the United States, argon is also recognized as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) and its use is permitted without quantitative restrictions. In Japan, argon is listed as a permitted food additive.
The versatility of argon is due to its chemical inertness, which prevents unwanted reactions with foods, and its higher density than air, which facilitates the creation of a protective atmosphere in the package.
No significant adverse effects have been documented associated with the consumption of argon as a food additive. Argon is a physiologically inert gas: it is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, is not metabolized, and is eliminated unchanged through the lungs. Toxicological studies conducted by EFSA and JECFA have found no evidence of acute, subchronic, or chronic toxicity, nor carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic effects. Under normal conditions of use, the amounts of argon ingested are minimal and pose no health risk.
No specific sensitive populations or interactions with medications have been identified. The only theoretical precaution would be in case of accidental inhalation of large amounts in enclosed spaces, which could cause asphyxiation by oxygen displacement, but this is not relevant for food consumption. EFSA concludes that argon is safe for the consumer in authorized applications, and WHO has not established an ADI, considering any dietary exposure safe.
In summary, E938 has no documented side effects and its safety profile is excellent.
- Argon
- Argon gas
- Noble gas
- Compressed argon
- Argon
- Ar
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