E927b Carbamide – Food Additive
E927b is the EU food additive carbamide (urea), used as a flour treatment agent to improve dough properties. Its use in food is restricted to specific product categories under EU regulations.
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E927b is the EU food additive carbamide (urea), used as a flour treatment agent to improve dough properties. Its use in food is restricted to specific product categories under EU regulations.
What is E927b?
E927b is the designation for the food additive carbamide, also commonly known as urea. Under the E-number E927b, this substance is authorised in the European Union as a flour treatment agent. Carbamide is a naturally occurring organic compound – it is produced in the human body as a metabolic by-product of protein breakdown and is excreted through urine.
Uses and Function
As a food additive, E927b is primarily used in the baking industry. It functions as a flour treatment agent that improves the structure and baking properties of dough. Specifically, carbamide can:
- influence the gluten network in dough, improving its extensibility and elasticity
- accelerate dough maturation
- contribute to a more uniform crumb structure in the finished baked product
In the EU, however, the use of E927b is restricted to very specific product categories. According to EU Regulation No. 1333/2008 on food additives, carbamide (E927b) is authorised only for certain chewing gum products, while its use as a flour treatment agent in baked goods is not generally permitted in the EU. In other countries, such as the United States, urea may be used in food processing under different regulatory frameworks.
Chemical Properties
Carbamide has the chemical formula CH₄N₂O (also written as CO(NH₂)₂). It is a white, crystalline solid that is highly soluble in water. Carbamide is produced industrially on a large scale – primarily as a nitrogen-based fertiliser in agriculture, but also for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications (e.g. as a moisturising active ingredient in skin care products).
Safety and Health Assessment
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other international food safety bodies have evaluated carbamide as a food additive. When used as intended and within the authorised limits, E927b is considered safe for human consumption. Since urea is a natural metabolic product of the human body, it is readily processed and excreted when consumed through food.
No adverse health effects are known from the consumption of foods containing E927b at permitted levels. Allergic reactions to carbamide as a food additive are extremely rare.
Labelling
If E927b is used in a food product, it must be declared in the ingredient list in accordance with EU labelling regulations, either as E927b or by its name carbamide. This allows consumers to identify whether a product contains this additive.
Distinction from E927a
It is important to distinguish between E927a (azodicarbonamide) and E927b (carbamide). Both fall under the category of flour treatment agents but are chemically entirely different compounds with different approval statuses in the EU. Azodicarbonamide (E927a) is not authorised as a food additive in the EU, whereas carbamide (E927b) is permitted under the restrictions mentioned above.
References
- European Union: Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives. Official Journal of the European Union, 2008.
- EFSA (European Food Safety Authority): Re-evaluation of carbamide (E 927b) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 2016.
- Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO): General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA), CXS 192-1995, updated version.
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