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E235 Natamycin: Preservative in Cheese

E235 (Natamycin) is an approved food additive with antifungal properties, used for the surface treatment of cheese and cured meat products to prevent mould growth.

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Things worth knowing about "E235"

E235 (Natamycin) is an approved food additive with antifungal properties, used for the surface treatment of cheese and cured meat products to prevent mould growth.

What is E235 (Natamycin)?

E235 is the EU approval number for Natamycin (also known as Pimaricin), a naturally occurring antifungal agent produced by the soil bacterium Streptomyces natalensis. It belongs to the group of polyene antifungals and is used in the food industry as a preservative to prevent mould growth on food surfaces. In addition, Natamycin is also used in medicine as an antifungal therapeutic agent.

Use in the Food Industry

Under EU food additive regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008, E235 is approved exclusively for the surface treatment of certain foods. It must not penetrate into the interior of the food.

Hard and semi-hard cheeses: Applied to the rind to prevent mould formation
Dried and cured meat products: Treatment of the outer casing to protect against mould fungi
Processed cheese products: Also approved in certain countries outside the EU

Mechanism of Action

Natamycin works by specifically binding to ergosterol, an essential component of the fungal cell membrane. This binding disrupts the integrity of the fungal cell membrane, causes uncontrolled ion influx, and ultimately leads to the death of the fungal cell. Because animal and human cells contain cholesterol rather than ergosterol, the action of Natamycin is highly selective against fungi and yeasts. E235 is ineffective against bacteria and viruses.

Safety and Health Assessment

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated E235 on multiple occasions and classified it as safe, provided that the permitted maximum levels are observed. Since Natamycin is applied exclusively to the surface of food and remains there, the actual consumer intake is very low.

The permitted maximum content in the treated surface is 1 mg/dm²
Natamycin must not be detectable at a depth of more than 5 mm
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the FAO have established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.3 mg per kg of body weight

Medical Use

In medicine, Natamycin is used as an antifungal agent, particularly for the treatment of fungal infections of the eye (keratomycosis). It is available in the form of eye drops or ointments and is considered a well-tolerated first-line agent for certain ocular fungal infections, as its large molecular size means it barely penetrates the cornea, thereby minimising systemic side effects.

Labelling and Identification

Foods that have been treated with E235 must be labelled accordingly. The labelling is done either with the E-number E235 or the common name Natamycin in the ingredient list or as a note on the packaging. Consumers with known hypersensitivity to polyene antifungals should pay attention to this labelling.

References

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): Re-evaluation of natamycin (E 235) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 2009;7(12):1412.
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives. Official Journal of the European Union, 2008.
World Health Organization (WHO) / FAO: Natamycin. In: Compendium of Food Additive Specifications. FAO JECFA Monographs, 2006.

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