Vitamin C, essential for growth, healthy teeth, gums, bones, skin and blood vessels and aiding the absorption of iron, is found naturally in many fresh fruits and vegetables.

E301, prepared synthetically, is the sodium salt of ascorbic acid (E300) and, like E300, it is used as an antioxidant, a colour preservative and as a vitamin supplement.

It can be found in pork pies, quick-frozen fish and lobster, sausages, scotch eggs, smoked frankfurters, tinned meats and both tinned and cereal based baby foods.

E301 Sodium ascorbate - sodium salt of vitamin C .