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Additives

Octafluorocyclobutane (E946): What It Is and Is It Safe?

Limited risk Packaging Gas · Fluorocarbon propellant

Octafluorocyclobutane (perfluorocyclobutane) is a fully fluorinated gas used as a propellant and packaging gas. Unlike the chlorofluorocarbons it contains no chlorine and does not deplete the ozone layer, but it is a very potent greenhouse gas and is largely obsolete in food use. It is chemically inert and of low ingestion toxicity.

Category
Packaging Gas — Fluorocarbon propellant
Typically used in
Propellant and packaging gas (largely obsolete).
Regulatory status
Not authorised or used as a food additive in the EU/UK; a potent greenhouse gas, effectively obsolete.

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Sources

Where this comes from

  1. Food Standards Agency (2024) — Approved additives and E numbers https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
Products

Products containing Octafluorocyclobutane

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