What else would you characterize “ weird artificial junk” as?

E numbers cover everything that can be added to food. Some examples would be E164 Saffron, E290 carbon dioxide, E428 gelatin.

None of these are anywhere near the "weird chemicals category". You'll find that all euro foods have Es in them, but it doesn't mean they have half-tested industrial food additives in them.

Those are very selective things you picked.

E100–E199: Food coloring, such as turmeric (E100) and paprika (E160c)

E200–E299: Preservatives, such as sulfur dioxide (E220)

E300–E399: Antioxidants and acidity regulators, such as ascorbic acid (E300)

E400–E499: Thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and gelling agents

E500–E599: Acidity regulators and anti-caking agents

This is pretty much the spectrum. Red 40, aka Allura Red AC aka E129 is illegal in the US, legal in the EU, and carries a warning in the EU. Let’s not pretend that the wonderful world of chemicals and industrialization doesn’t exist in Europe.

No one is pretending anything. I said all foods in the EU have E numbers in them, but it doesn't mean they have industrial chemicals.

Allura red isn't illegal in the US.

Also, just wondering, what do you think is the problem with turmeric and paprika?

Growing up in the EU in the 00s there was always the public health concerns of E numbers causing this or that.

Ironic in a way, because E numbers mean that the specific chemical has been cleared as a foodstuff in the EU, IIRC.

Though I suppose it’s more concerning if an approved substance has some unforeseen effect versus an unapproved one and you’d want to investigate further.

I guess it shows how government regulation of naturally occurring substances (though perhaps synthesized, or refined) carries with it a new set of incentives, and reasons to be political. Not that I’m against regulation, but it’s hard if not impossible to have a truly politically neutral approach.