Carnauba Wax — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?

Vegan status: Vegan

Also known as: E903, Brazil wax, Palm wax, Copernicia prunifera wax

Source

Extracted from the leaves of the carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera), grown in north-eastern Brazil. The wax is beaten from dried leaves. Entirely plant-derived.

Used in

Confectionery glazing (M&Ms, Skittles, some chocolate-covered raisins), fruit wax coatings on citrus and apples, pharmaceutical tablet coatings, car wax, shoe polish.

Appears on label: No. Listed as E903 or 'carnauba wax' in ingredient lists. A vegan-friendly alternative to shellac (E904) and beeswax (E901) for glazing applications.

How to avoid

No need to avoid — carnauba wax is vegan. When checking confectionery, E903 is the preferred outcome over E904 (shellac) or E901 (beeswax).

Notes

Carnauba wax has the highest melting point of all commercial waxes, making it extremely useful as a glaze. Skittles, M&Ms, and most other sugar-shelled sweets use carnauba wax — one reason they are vegan (though M&Ms contain dairy so are not vegan overall). Vegans should confirm carnauba wax vs shellac when assessing glazed products.