Are E900 Additives Vegan?
E900 and above covers glazing agents, packaging gases, sweeteners, enzymes and carrier solvents. Beeswax (E901) and shellac (E904) come from insects. L-cysteine (E920) can come from feathers or bristle, lysozyme (E1105) is made from egg white, and lactitol (E966) is made from milk sugar.
- Not vegan
- 4
- Depends on source
- 2
- Vegan
- 2
E900 and Above in number order
- E901 Beeswax Beeswax is not vegan. Worker bees secrete it in flakes to build honeycomb, and beekeepers cut the wax cappings away when they harvest the honey. Not Vegan
- E903 Carnauba Wax Carnauba wax is vegan. Workers in northeastern Brazil cut leaves from the Copernicia prunifera palm, dry them, and beat the wax loose. Vegan
- E904 Shellac Shellac is not vegan. Female lac bugs, Kerria lacca, secrete the resin onto tree bark in the forests of India and Thailand, and harvesters scrape it off. Not Vegan
- E920 L-Cysteine L-Cysteine depends on the manufacturer. E920 is still commonly made from duck feathers and pig bristle (the EU specification bars human hair), though petroleum and fermented corn routes exist and are vegan. Depends on Source
- E966 Lactitol Lactitol is not vegan. E966 is made by hydrogenating lactose, the sugar in milk, which is normally obtained from whey. Not Vegan
- E1105 Lysozyme Lysozyme is not vegan. Producers extract this enzyme from hen egg whites and add it to Gouda, Edam, Manchego, and some Parmesan to stop the bacteria that blow holes in a ripening wheel, and a few winemakers use it in pl… Processing agent entry Not Vegan
- E1518 Triacetin Triacetin depends on the glycerol it is made from. Depends on Source
- E1520 Propylene Glycol Propylene glycol is vegan. Made from petroleum-derived propylene oxide or from bio-based glycerol, it works as a solvent that carries flavor and color compounds into food, and as a humectant that keeps baked goods soft. Processing agent entry Vegan
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Which additives from E900 upward are not vegan?
Beeswax (E901), Shellac (E904), Lactitol (E966) and Lysozyme (E1105) have an animal origin in every commercial form we could verify.
Which additives from E900 upward need a source check?
L-Cysteine (E920) and Triacetin (E1518) can be made from plant, mineral or synthetic inputs or from animal ones under the same name. Each entry names the raw material in question and how to confirm it with the supplier or a certified vegan mark.