Anoxomer is a food additive

Food additive

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...

 with E number

E number

E numbers are number codes for food additives that have been assessed for use within the European Union . They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority...

 E323. It is a non-digestible polymeric antioxidant

Antioxidant

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...

. It was designed to allow the introduction of established antioxidants in a non-absorbable manner in order to avoid potential health risk associated with their digestion.

Anoxomer is prepared by condensation polymerization of divinylbenzene

Divinylbenzene

Divinylbenzene consists of a benzene ring bonded to two vinyl groups. It is related to styrene by the addition of a second vinyl group. Divinylbenzene, as it is usually encountered, is a 2:1 mixture of m- and p-divinylbenzene, containing also the corresponding ethylvinylbenzene isomers. It is...

 and a mixture of antioxidant monomer

Monomer

A monomer is an atom or a small molecule that may bind chemically to other monomers to form a polymer; the term "monomeric protein" may also be used to describe one of the proteins making up a multiprotein complex...

s including tert-butylhydroquinone

Tert-Butylhydroquinone

tert-Butylhydroquinone is an aromatic organic compound which is a type of phenol. It is a derivative of hydroquinone, substituted with tert-butyl group.-Applications:...

, tert-butylphenol, hydroxyanisole, p-cresol

P-Cresol

p-Cresol, also 4-methylphenol, is a phenol, with formula C6H4.It is a positional isomer; the other two are m-cresol and o-cresol. P-cresol is a major component in pig odor. . For more information see cresol. 4-methylphenol is a component in human sweat. It is a component of human odour attractive...

 and 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol.