E631: Disodium inosinate

What E631 actually is

E631 is a flavour enhancer that does very little on its own but multiplies the savoury effect of glutamate. That is why you almost never see it without MSG nearby: the pair together taste far stronger than either alone, so manufacturers can use less of both. If you scan the seasoning sachet in a packet of instant noodles, E621 and E631 usually sit next to each other.

What it is made from

Three routes exist. The traditional one extracts it from dried sardines or from meat, which is where the ingredient originally came from. The modern industrial route ferments sugars with bacteria, the same way MSG is made now. A third route starts from yeast extract. Manufacturers do not have to say which they used.

Vegan, vegetarian, and halal status

This is one of the most-asked additive questions in Muslim-majority and vegetarian markets, and the honest answer is that the code does not settle it. Fermentation-derived E631 is suitable; fish- or meat-derived E631 is not. Many large snack and noodle brands now publish their source because they are asked so often. A halal, vegetarian, or vegan mark on the pack means it has been verified.

Is E631 safe?

E631 is approved across the EU, UK, US, and Asia-Pacific markets. It is a nucleotide, the same class of compound found naturally in meat, fish, and mushrooms, and the body handles it the way it handles those foods. The one genuine medical caveat is that nucleotides break down to purines, which become uric acid, so people managing gout are sometimes advised to limit heavy nucleotide intake. The amounts in seasoning are small compared with a meal of red meat or shellfish.

• No commonly reported effects at normal dietary levels
• Contributes to purine intake, which matters only for people managing gout
• Contains sodium, so it adds marginally to the sodium total

Where regulators stand

EFSA (EU)

Permitted flavour enhancer. Grouped with the other ribonucleotides for intake assessment.

FDA (US)

Generally recognized as safe.

FSANZ (Australia and New Zealand)

Permitted under code 631.

Common questions

Is E631 halal?

It depends on the source. Fermentation-derived and yeast-derived E631 is acceptable. Fish-derived is generally acceptable to most scholars, while pork-derived is not. Because the code does not say which, a halal certification mark or a direct answer from the manufacturer is the only reliable route.

Is E631 vegetarian?

Only if it is made by fermentation or from yeast. The original commercial route used sardines, and some production still does, which would make it unsuitable.

Is E631 the same as MSG?

No. MSG is E621 and is a glutamate. E631 is a nucleotide that boosts what glutamate does. They are almost always used together because the combination is far stronger than either one.

Why is E631 in almost every instant noodle?

Because it makes a small amount of seasoning taste like a much richer stock. It is the cheapest way to get a savoury depth that would otherwise need real meat or long cooking.

Should I avoid E631 if I have gout?

It is a purine source, so some clinicians suggest limiting it, but the quantity in a seasoning sachet is small next to a portion of red meat, offal, or shellfish. Follow your own clinician's advice rather than treating the additive as the main factor.

Related

• E621: Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• MSG on food labels and what GRAS status means