Which E-Numbers Are Not Vegan
Most E-numbers are minerals, plant extracts, or lab-made compounds that never involved an animal. A small group is the exception, and a second group hides the answer behind a supplier choice the label keeps to itself. Here is the whole picture for the 49 additives in this reference.
15
Always animal derived
Animal origin in every commercial form
15
Depends on the supplier
Same code either way — ask the brand
19
Plant based or synthetic
Safe to pass over on a label check
Additives that always come from animals
Every one of these has an animal origin in every commercial form we could verify. Seeing one of these on a label is a reliable signal on its own.
Carmine
Derived from the dried, crushed bodies of female cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus).
Instead look for: Beet juice (E162), Lycopene (E160d), Anthocyanins (E163), or synthetic Red 40 (E129).
Gelatin
Produced by boiling the skin, bones, and connective tissue of pigs, cattle, or fish.
Instead look for: Agar (E406, from seaweed), Pectin (E440, from fruit), Carrageenan (E407, from red algae), Konjac (E425).
Bone Phosphate
Produced from the bones of slaughtered cattle or pigs, processed into a fine powder used as an anti-caking agent.
Instead look for: Synthetic calcium phosphate (also labeled E341) which is produced without animal bones.
Disodium Inosinate
Traditionally derived from fish (sardines, anchovies) or meat.
Instead look for: There is no direct flavor substitute. Avoid products listing E631 unless the manufacturer confirms a non-animal source.
Disodium 5'-Ribonucleotides
A mixture of E627 (disodium guanylate) and E631 (disodium inosinate).
Instead look for: Avoid unless confirmed plant or fermentation-derived by the manufacturer.
Beeswax
Secreted by worker bees to construct honeycomb.
Instead look for: Carnauba wax (E903), Candelilla wax (E902), rice bran wax.
Shellac
A resin secreted by the female lac bug (Kerria lacca) found in forests of India and Thailand.
Instead look for: Carnauba wax (E903) for food glazing.
Albumin
Most commonly derived from egg whites (ovalbumin).
Instead look for: Aquafaba (chickpea water), flaxseed gel, commercial egg replacers.
Bone Char
Produced by heating cattle bones at very high temperatures until they become a porous carbon filter material.
Instead look for: Unrefined cane sugar, beet sugar (always processed without bone char), coconut sugar, maple syrup. Look for 'unrefined'…
Casein
The primary protein in cow's milk, making up approximately 80% of its protein content.
Instead look for: Pea protein, soy protein, oat protein.
Isinglass
Derived from the dried swim bladders of fish (particularly sturgeon, cod, and tropical fish).
Instead look for: Irish moss (carrageenan), bentonite clay, activated charcoal, or unfiltered/naturally clarified beer.
Lactose
The primary sugar found in mammalian milk.
Instead look for: No direct sweetener substitute — simply avoid lactose-containing products.
Lanolin
A wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals (primarily sheep).
Instead look for: Shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, carnauba wax.
Tallow
Rendered fat from cattle or sheep, produced as a byproduct of the beef and lamb industries.
Instead look for: Vegetable shortening, coconut oil, palm oil (sustainability concerns), or shea butter.
Whey
The liquid byproduct of cheese and yogurt production, derived from cow's milk.
Instead look for: Pea protein isolate, rice protein, hemp protein, soy protein isolate.
Additives that depend on the supplier
These carry the same E-number whether the raw material came from a plant or an animal. The label rarely says which, so the only certain answer comes from the manufacturer.
Riboflavin
Can be derived from: (1) fermentation using bacteria or yeast [vegan], (2) animal sources such as whey or egg white [not vegan].
Instead look for: Fermentation-derived riboflavin is the vegan form and is the industry standard. Contact the manufacturer if sourcing is…
Beta-Carotene
Can be derived from: (1) algae, carrots, or other plant sources [vegan], (2) fermentation [vegan], or (3) extracted from fish oil in some pharmaceutical-g…
Instead look for: Plant-derived or synthetic beta-carotene is the vegan option. Check supplement labels specifically.
Lutein
Found in green leafy vegetables, marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta), and egg yolks.
Instead look for: Marigold-derived lutein is the commercial standard and is vegan. Check supplement labels specifically.
Lactic Acid
Can be produced from: (1) bacterial fermentation of plant sugars (corn, sugarcane, beet) [vegan], (2) synthetic chemistry [vegan], or (3) historically, fr…
Instead look for: Fermentation-derived lactic acid is vegan and is the commercial standard. Contact the manufacturer if certainty is requ…
Tocopherols
Found naturally in plant oils (particularly sunflower, soybean, wheat germ, and palm oil) and in animal-derived foods.
Instead look for: Plant-derived tocopherols are the standard — vegan by default in most applications.
Lecithin
Derived from soybeans [vegan], sunflower seeds [vegan], or egg yolks [not vegan].
Instead look for: Soy or sunflower lecithin is itself the vegan option. Look for 'soy lecithin' or 'sunflower lecithin' specifically on l…
Glycerin
Can be derived from: (1) animal fat (tallow or lard) [not vegan], (2) petroleum [vegan], or (3) plant oils like soy, coconut, or palm [vegan].
Instead look for: Vegetable glycerin (explicitly labeled). In cosmetics, look for 'vegetable glycerin' specifically.
Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids
Can be derived from animal fats (lard, tallow) [not vegan] or vegetable oils (soy, palm, sunflower) [vegan].
Instead look for: No direct equivalent — contact the manufacturer to ask about the fat source.
DATEM
Produced from mono- and diglycerides (which can be plant or animal-derived) reacted with tartaric acid and acetic acid.
Instead look for: Contact the manufacturer to ask about the source of the mono- and diglycerides used in their DATEM.
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Produced from stearic acid (which can be animal-derived or plant-derived) reacted with lactic acid and sodium.
Instead look for: Contact the manufacturer to confirm the stearic acid source.
L-Cysteine
Can be derived from: (1) human hair or duck/pig feathers [not vegan], (2) petroleum byproducts [vegan], or (3) fermented corn [vegan].
Instead look for: No direct alternative. Contact the manufacturer to ask about their cysteine source.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Can be derived from: (1) fish oil [not vegan], (2) krill oil [not vegan], or (3) algal oil (microalgae fermentation) [vegan].
Instead look for: Algal oil-based DHA/EPA supplements. Look for 'algae-derived' or brands like Testa, Nuzest, and Nordic Naturals Algae O…
Rennet
Traditional animal rennet is extracted from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves, lambs, or kid goats [not vegan].
Instead look for: Microbial rennet, vegetable rennet, or fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC).
Squalane
Historically, squalene (the unsaturated precursor) was extracted from shark liver oil [not vegan].
Instead look for: Plant-derived squalane. Brands like Biossance (sugarcane) and The Ordinary (plant-derived) explicitly source from plant…
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is most commonly derived from lanolin (sheep's wool grease) via UV irradiation.
Instead look for: Vitamin D3 from lichen (Vitashine, Nordic Naturals Algae Omega) or Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol, always plant-derived).
Additives that stay plant based or synthetic
These 19 come from plants, minerals, seaweed, or a laboratory in every commercial form we could verify. They turn up constantly on labels, so knowing them by sight saves the most time.
How to read a label quickly
Scan for the always-animal group first
Fifteen entries carry the answer on their own. Seven of them have an E-number — E120, E441, E542, E631, E635, E901, and E904 — and those are the ones that show up most often in a supermarket aisle. The other eight appear under plain names such as whey, casein, lactose, and tallow.
Treat the fat-derived emulsifiers as open questions
E471, E472e, E481, and E322 are the four that quietly account for most uncertainty. They sit in bread, margarine, ice cream, and chocolate, and the pack gives you nothing either way.
Let allergen text do some of the work
EU and UK rules force milk and egg to be highlighted wherever they appear, including inside an additive. So bolded milk next to E471 answers the question, while its absence still leaves tallow on the table.
Use a certification mark as the shortcut
The Vegan Society Trademark and V-Label both check the supply chain behind the additives rather than the label copy. When a product carries one, the E-number question is already settled.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How many E-numbers are not vegan?
Of the 49 additives in this reference, 15 always come from an animal source and 15 vary by supplier. The remaining 19 are plant-derived, mineral, or synthetic in every commercial form we could verify. The exact count depends on which additives a list covers — there are over 300 approved E-numbers in the EU, and most of them are minerals, acids, or synthetics that never involved an animal.
Does a high E-number mean it is more likely to be animal derived?
The number tells you what the additive does, rather than where it came from. E100–E199 are colours, E200–E299 preservatives, E300–E399 antioxidants and acidity regulators, E400–E499 thickeners and emulsifiers, E500–E599 acidity regulators and anti-caking agents, E600–E699 flavour enhancers, and E900 upwards glazing agents and sweeteners. Animal-derived additives are scattered across every one of those bands.
Why does the label leave out the source?
EU and UK labelling law requires the additive to be named by function and E-number, and it stops there. Origin is only forced onto the label when the additive is also a listed allergen — milk and egg derivatives are the practical examples. A fat-based emulsifier like E471 carries no allergen duty, so tallow-derived and palm-derived versions read identically on the pack.
Are the synthetic colours such as E102 and E129 vegan?
The dyes themselves are made in a lab from petrochemical precursors, with no animal input. Two caveats keep them in the grey zone for some people: they have a history of animal testing, and in the UK they carry a warning about effects on activity and attention in children. Whether that rules them out is a personal call rather than a sourcing question.
What should I do when a product lists E471 or E322?
Treat it as unresolved and ask the manufacturer, quoting the specific E-number and batch. Many brands answer within a few days, and a growing number label the source voluntarily because they know the question gets asked. Certified products are the shortcut — a Vegan Society or V-Label mark means the supply chain was checked for exactly this.
Keep looking things up
Every additive above has its own page with the full sourcing detail, where it turns up, and what to use instead. The rest of the reference covers the areas labels handle even less well.