E-numbers / Other additives / E939
An inert noble gas used to flush packaging and propel aerosol food products, displacing oxygen to extend shelf life.
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Helium is a naturally occurring noble gas, the second lightest element.
Helium is a naturally occurring noble gas, the second lightest element. In food use it is purified to at least 99.0% purity. Because it belongs to the noble gas group it does not react chemically with other substances under any conditions found in food production or in the human body.
It is used in two ways: as a packaging gas, flushing the headspace inside sealed food packaging to displace oxygen and reduce spoilage; and as a propellant, pushing food products such as whipped creams or cooking sprays out of pressurised aerosol cans. It does not alter flavour, colour, or the chemical composition of the food.
Most likely to appear in modified-atmosphere packaging for fresh produce, ready meals, and chilled meats, and in aerosol food canisters. In practice EFSA found no labeled products containing it in the EU as of 2024, meaning it is rarely if ever used in commercial food products. On a label it would appear as 'helium' or 'E939' in the ingredients list, though its appearance is uncommon.
Helium is chemically inert: it has a full outer electron shell, forms no compounds, and passes through the body without reacting with tissues, enzymes, or DNA. No toxicological studies exist because the substance has no reactive chemistry to evaluate. EFSA's 2024 panel concluded that its physicochemical properties alone are sufficient to confirm it poses no concern from dietary exposure.
EFSA's re-evaluation panel concluded that helium used as a food additive does not raise a safety concern, citing its chemical inertness as a noble gas and that no toxicological data are needed or available.
The 2024 EFSA review noted one honest gap: no data were provided on what impurities might be present in food-grade helium above the 99.0% purity floor, or whether any of those impurities could pose a concern. The panel judged this gap as minor given the inert nature of the parent substance, but recorded it as unresolved.
No information was available on the potential presence of impurities of toxicological concern in food-grade helium; the EFSA panel noted this as a data gap.
EFSA's 2024 survey found that no business operators in the EU reported actually using helium in food products, and a search of labeled products found none containing E939. Its authorisation appears to be precautionary or historic rather than a reflection of current commercial practice.
A database search for products labeled with E939 returned no results, and no use data were submitted during EFSA's call for information on helium as a food additive.
No group has a specific reason to avoid helium in food. It leaves no residue in the food itself. People with no other concerns can disregard this additive entirely.
Helium is about as chemically uninteresting as a food additive can be. Noble gases do not react with anything, which is precisely why they are used to displace reactive oxygen inside packaging. The only scientific note worth registering is that EFSA flagged a minor data gap on impurities in 2024 and that, in practice, helium appears to be essentially unused in commercial food products today.
No. Helium is on the UK FSA approved-additives list and is permitted at quantum satis in all food categories under assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008.
No. Helium is used in the headspace of the packaging, not mixed into the food. It is chemically inert and leaves no residue on or in the product.
In principle it can be used in any food packaged under modified atmosphere or sold in an aerosol canister. In practice EFSA found no labeled EU food products containing it as of 2024, so it is extremely rare or absent from the current food supply.
Yes. Helium is a naturally occurring element and involves no animal-derived materials at any stage of its production or use.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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