Shellac (Food Glaze) — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?

Vegan status: Not Vegan

Also known as: E904, Lac resin, Confectioner's glaze, Pharmaceutical glaze, Resinous glaze

Source

Secreted by the female lac bug (Kerria lacca), native to India and Southeast Asia. The insects are scraped from branches and the resin processed into shellac. Estimates suggest approximately 50,000–300,000 lac insects are killed per kilogram of shellac, depending on the resin yield per insect and harvest method (figures from Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums).

Used in

Glossy confectionery (Jelly Beans, some chocolate-covered raisins, some chocolates), apple wax coatings on supermarket fruit, pharmaceutical tablet coatings, furniture polish.

Appears on label: No. When used as a food additive, E904 or 'shellac' should be declared. When used as a wax coating on fresh fruit, it may be listed as 'wax coating' or 'food-grade wax' without specifying shellac. Pharmaceuticals are not required to list excipients in all jurisdictions.

How to avoid

On confectionery: look for the E904 code or 'shellac' in the ingredients. For fruit: buy unwaxed varieties (often labelled) or wash fruit thoroughly. For medications: ask the pharmacist for a shellac-free alternative where available — this is not always possible.

Notes

Shellac is one of the most widely encountered non-vegan processing agents in mainstream food. Jelly Belly jelly beans and many other commercial jelly bean brands use shellac. The waxing of supermarket apples and citrus fruit with shellac is common in the UK and USA. Carnauba wax (E903) is a plant-derived alternative that produces a similar shine and is used by some vegan-friendly manufacturers.