E-Number & Additive Reference

Also: Glacial acetic acid, Ethanoic acid, Vinegar acid

Two routes supply the world. Most industrial acetic acid is made by carbonylating methanol with carbon monoxide over a rhodium or iridium catalyst, both feedstocks coming from natural gas. The rest is made biologically, by Acetobacter bacteria oxidizing ethanol into acetic acid, which is how vinegar has been produced for millennia.

Also: Agar-agar, Kanten, Chinese isinglass…

Extracted from red algae and seaweed, primarily from Gelidium and Gracilaria species. Widely produced in Japan, Chile, and Morocco.

Also: Egg albumin, Egg white, Ovalbumin…

Most commonly derived from egg whites (ovalbumin). Can also be derived from blood serum (serum albumin) or milk.

Also: FD&C Red No. 40, CI 16035, Food Red 17

A synthetic azo dye derived from petroleum. Fully synthetic with no animal product involvement.

Also: Class III caramel, Caramel color III, Beer caramel…

Made by heating plant carbohydrates in the presence of ammonium compounds. The sugar feedstock is glucose syrup, sucrose, invert sugar, or molasses, usually from corn, wheat, or cane. Ammonium hydroxide, carbonate, or phosphate is added to push the browning reaction further and give a deeper, more heat-stable color.

Also: Ammonium carbonate (E503i), Ammonium hydrogen carbonate (E503ii), Baker's ammonia…

Made from ammonia and carbon dioxide. Industrial ammonia comes from the Haber-Bosch reaction, which combines nitrogen pulled from the air with hydrogen from natural gas. Passing ammonia and carbon dioxide into water gives ammonium carbonate or the hydrogen carbonate, which is crystallized and dried.

Also: Bixin, Norbixin, Annatto extract…

Extracted from the seeds of the Bixa orellana (achiote) tree, native to tropical regions of Central and South America. Entirely plant-derived.

Also: Grape skin extract, Enocyanin, Blackcurrant extract…

Extracted from fruit and vegetables. Grape skins left over from winemaking, blackcurrants, elderberries, black carrots, red cabbage, hibiscus, and purple sweet potato are all commercial sources. Acidified water or ethanol pulls the pigment out, and the extract is concentrated and standardized for color strength.

Also: Vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid, Sodium ascorbate (E301)…

Commercially produced by chemical synthesis from glucose (derived from corn or other plant starches). No animal products are used in its production.

Also: Ascorbyl palmitate (E304i), Ascorbyl stearate (E304ii), Fat-soluble vitamin C…

An ester of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid. The ascorbic acid half comes from glucose by fermentation and chemical steps, and is vegan. The palmitic acid half comes from a fat, most often palm oil, which is why the compound carries that name; tallow and other animal fats are also commercial sources of palmitic acid, and the label does not say which was used.

Also: Cera alba (white beeswax), Cera flava (yellow beeswax)

Secreted by worker bees to construct honeycomb. Harvested during honey collection; considered an animal product by vegan standards.

Also: Provitamin A, Natural orange color

Produced from three routes, all of them free of animal material: extraction from plants and algae (carrots, palm fruit, Dunaliella salina), fermentation by the fungus Blakeslea trispora, and chemical synthesis. The vegan question sits in the formulation rather than the pigment. Beta-carotene is fat-soluble and unstable, so it is commonly sold as beadlets stabilised in a carrier, and gelatin is a common carrier. The color is plant-derived; the capsule around it may not be.

Also: Bone black, Natural carbon, Animal charcoal

Produced by heating cattle bones at very high temperatures until they become a porous carbon filter material. Used in the sugar refining process to decolorize and remove impurities from raw sugar.

Also: Tribasic calcium phosphate (bone source), Animal calcium phosphate

Produced from the bones of slaughtered cattle or pigs, processed into a fine powder used as an anti-caking agent.

Also: FD&C Blue No. 1, Acid Blue 9, CI 42090…

A synthetic triarylmethane dye made from petrochemical aromatics. Manufacture condenses a benzaldehyde sulfonic acid with two substituted anilines and oxidizes the product to the colored form, isolated as the disodium salt. The dye has no natural source and no animal-derived input.

Also: Chalk, Limestone, Ground calcium carbonate…

Ground rock or a precipitated mineral. Most food-grade material is limestone, chalk, or marble that has been quarried, washed, and milled. The precipitated grade is made by calcining limestone to quicklime, slaking it with water, and recarbonating the result with carbon dioxide, which gives finer and more uniform crystals.

Also: Monocalcium citrate (E333i), Dicalcium citrate (E333ii), Tricalcium citrate (E333iii)…

Made by neutralizing citric acid with calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide. The citric acid comes from feeding plant sugars, usually glucose syrup or molasses, to the mold Aspergillus niger. The calcium comes from limestone. Both halves are plant or mineral.

Also: Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, Calcium disodium edetate, EDTA…

A fully synthetic chelating agent. Manufacture reacts ethylenediamine with formaldehyde and sodium cyanide, then hydrolyzes the product to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, which is converted to the calcium disodium salt. Every feedstock is petrochemical or mineral.

Also: Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, CMC, Cellulose gum…

A modified plant fiber. Manufacturers take purified cellulose from wood pulp or cotton linters, swell it in sodium hydroxide, then react it with monochloroacetic acid to attach carboxymethyl groups. The result is a sodium salt that dissolves in cold water and thickens it.

Also: Cochineal, Carminic acid, Natural Red 4…

Derived from the dried, crushed bodies of female cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus). Approximately 70,000 insects are killed per pound of dye.

Also: Azorubine, Food Red 3, Acid Red 14…

A synthetic azo dye built from petrochemical aromatics. Manufacturers diazotize naphthionic acid and couple it with a naphthol sulfonic acid, then isolate the disodium salt as a red powder. Nothing in the synthesis is animal-derived, and the dye has no natural source.

Also: Brazil wax, Palm wax, Copernicia cerifera wax

Harvested from the leaves of the Copernicia prunifera palm tree native to northeastern Brazil. The leaves are dried and beaten to release the wax.

Also: Irish moss extract, Kappa-carrageenan, Iota-carrageenan…

Extracted from red seaweed (Chondrus crispus and related species), primarily farmed in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Chile. Entirely marine plant-derived.

Also: Sodium caseinate, Calcium caseinate, Milk protein

The primary protein in cow's milk, making up approximately 80% of its protein content.

Also: Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b, Chlorophyllins (E141)…

Extracted from plant material — primarily grass, nettles, spinach, or other green plants. The copper complex version (E141) is derived similarly but modified with copper ions.

Also: 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, Sodium citrate (E331), Potassium citrate (E332)

Industrially produced via fermentation of molasses, corn syrup, or other carbohydrates using the fungus Aspergillus niger. No animal products are involved.

Also: Copper chlorophyll (E141i), Copper chlorophyllin (E141ii), Sodium copper chlorophyllin…

Made from plant chlorophyll. Solvent extraction pulls chlorophyll from alfalfa, grass, nettles, or other green plant material, and the magnesium atom at the center of the molecule is then swapped for copper, which locks in a stable blue-green. The saponified water-soluble version is sold as chlorophyllin.

Also: Turmeric yellow, Natural yellow 3, CI 75300

Extracted from the rhizome of the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa). Entirely plant-derived.

Also: Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, Diacetyltartaric acid ester of monoglyceride

Produced from mono- and diglycerides (which can be plant or animal-derived) reacted with tartaric acid and acetic acid. The vegan status depends entirely on the source of the mono- and diglycerides used — which is almost never declared on the label.

Also: Pyrophosphates, Disodium diphosphate (SAPP), Tetrasodium diphosphate…

Mineral salts made from phosphate rock. Phosphoric acid is produced by treating mined phosphate ore with sulfuric acid, purified, then neutralized with sodium, potassium, or calcium carbonate. Heating the resulting orthophosphates drives off water and links two phosphate units into a diphosphate.

Also: Disodium guanylate + Disodium inosinate mixture, Flavor nucleotides

A mixture of E627 (disodium guanylate) and E631 (disodium inosinate). Both are typically derived from fish or meat.

Also: Sodium 5'-guanylate, GMP, Guanosine monophosphate disodium salt…

A ribonucleotide flavor enhancer. Most commercial material is made by microbial routes: RNA extracted from yeast grown on molasses and cut with enzymes, or direct fermentation by bacteria such as Corynebacterium that excrete the nucleotide. Nucleotide flavor enhancers have also been recovered from dried fish and meat extracts, and no label distinguishes the routes.

Also: IMP, Inosinic acid disodium salt

Traditionally derived from fish (sardines, anchovies) or meat. Some fermentation-derived versions exist but are not standard in commercial food production.

Also: Gelatine, Hydrolyzed collagen, E441…

Produced by boiling the skin, bones, and connective tissue of pigs, cattle, or fish. A byproduct of the meat industry.

Also: Glycerol, Glycerine, Propane-1,2,3-triol

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]. Source is almost never specified on labels.

Also: Guar flour, Guaran, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba gum

Ground from the endosperm of guar beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), a drought-resistant legume grown primarily in India and Pakistan. Entirely plant-derived.

Also: Acacia gum, Acacia senegal gum

A natural gum harvested from the Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal trees, primarily in Sudan and the Sahel region of Africa. Collected by making cuts in the bark.

Also: HPMC, Hypromellose, Cellulose hydroxypropyl methyl ether…

A modified plant fiber. Purified cellulose from wood pulp or cotton linters is swollen in sodium hydroxide, then reacted with methyl chloride and propylene oxide, which attach methyl and hydroxypropyl groups to the cellulose chain. Washing and milling give a white powder that dissolves in cold water.

Also: Iron oxide black (E172i), Iron oxide red (E172ii), Iron oxide yellow (E172iii)…

Mineral pigments. Food and cosmetic grades are made synthetically, by precipitating iron salts from solution or by controlled oxidation of iron, then calcining the product to fix the shade. Synthesis is preferred over grinding natural ochre because it gives tighter control of heavy metal content.

Derived from the dried swim bladders of fish (particularly sturgeon, cod, and tropical fish). Used as a clarifying agent.

Also: Cysteine, L-Cysteine hydrochloride

Can be derived from: (1) human hair or duck/pig feathers [not vegan], (2) petroleum byproducts [vegan], or (3) fermented corn [vegan]. Source varies by manufacturer and is rarely specified on labels.

Also: L-(+)-lactic acid, 2-hydroxypropanoic acid, Milk acid

Can be produced from: (1) bacterial fermentation of plant sugars (corn, sugarcane, beet) [vegan], (2) synthetic chemistry [vegan], or (3) historically, from soured dairy milk [not vegan, now rare commercially]. The name 'milk acid' is misleading — the vast majority of commercial lactic acid is produced via fermentation of plant-based carbohydrates.

Also: LACTEM, Lactylated mono- and diglycerides, Glycerol lactate esters

Built from three parts. Glycerol is esterified with fatty acids to make mono- and diglycerides, and those are then esterified with lactic acid. The lactic acid comes from bacterial fermentation of sugar and the glycerol may be plant-derived or animal-derived, and the fatty acids can come from vegetable oil or from rendered animal fat.

Also: Milk sugar, 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-glucose

The primary sugar found in mammalian milk. Commercially derived as a byproduct of cheese and butter production.

Also: Wool fat, Wool grease, Wool wax…

A wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals (primarily sheep). Extracted from raw wool during the sheep-washing process.

Also: Soy lecithin, Egg lecithin, Sunflower lecithin…

Derived from soybeans [vegan], sunflower seeds [vegan], or egg yolks [not vegan]. Soy lecithin is the most common commercial form and is almost always vegan. Egg lecithin is used in some pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications.

Also: Xanthophyll, Vegetable lutein, Egg lutein

Found in green leafy vegetables, marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta), and egg yolks. Commercial lutein used as a food colorant is predominantly extracted from marigold petals [vegan]. Egg-derived lutein exists but is mainly used in pharmaceutical/supplement contexts.

Also: Nigari, Bischofite, MgCl2…

A mineral salt from seawater and brine. Evaporating seawater or salt lake brine leaves magnesium chloride behind after sodium chloride crystallizes out, and the mineral bischofite is mined directly. Japanese tofu makers call the seawater residue nigari, a word meaning bitter.

Also: Methylcellulose, MC, Cellulose methyl ether…

A modified plant fiber. Purified cellulose from wood pulp or cotton linters is swollen in sodium hydroxide and reacted with methyl chloride, which attaches methyl groups to the cellulose chain. Washing and milling give a white powder that dissolves in cold water.

Also: Monoglycerides, Diglycerides, Glycerol monostearate

Can be derived from animal fats (lard, tallow) [not vegan] or vegetable oils (soy, palm, sunflower) [vegan]. Source is almost never declared on the label. Used as an emulsifier to improve texture.

Also: MSG, Sodium glutamate, Aji-no-moto…

Produced industrially by bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates (typically sugarcane molasses, tapioca starch, or corn). The bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum is the primary production organism.

Also: DHA, EPA, ALA…

Can be derived from: (1) fish oil [not vegan], (2) krill oil [not vegan], or (3) algal oil (microalgae fermentation) [vegan]. Interestingly, fish obtain their omega-3s by eating algae — algal oil bypasses the fish entirely.

Also: Capsanthin, Capsorubin, Paprika oleoresin…

Extracted from dried red peppers, Capsicum annuum. The ground pods are washed with a solvent such as hexane, ethanol, acetone, or supercritical carbon dioxide, the solvent is removed under vacuum, and the remaining oleoresin carries the red carotenoids capsanthin and capsorubin. The pungent capsaicin is stripped out for coloring grades.

Also: Apple pectin, Citrus pectin, Amidated pectin (E440ii)

Extracted from the cell walls of plants, primarily from apple pomace (the solid waste from apple juice production) or citrus peel (from the orange juice industry). Entirely plant-derived.

Also: Orthophosphoric acid, Phosphoric(V) acid, H3PO4

Refined from mined phosphate rock. The wet process digests the ore in sulfuric acid and purifies the resulting acid to food grade by solvent extraction. The thermal process burns elemental phosphorus and hydrates the oxide, giving a purer acid at higher energy cost. Both start from sedimentary rock.

Also: Caustic caramel, Class I caramel, Caramel color I…

Made by heating food-grade carbohydrates until they brown. The sugars used are glucose syrup, sucrose, invert sugar, molasses, or starch hydrolysates, usually from corn, wheat, or cane. Class I caramel is the plainest of the four types: acids or alkalis may be used to speed the reaction, but ammonium and sulfite compounds are forbidden in it.

Also: PGE, Polyglycerol fatty acid esters, Polyglyceryl esters…

Made by joining polyglycerol to fatty acids. Glycerol is polymerized under alkali into short chains of two to ten units, then esterified with fatty acids. Both the glycerol and the fatty acids can come from vegetable oils or from rendered animal fat, and EU specifications do not restrict which.

Also: PGPR, Polyglycerol esters of polycondensed fatty acids from castor oil, Polyricinoleate

Made from castor oil and polyglycerol. EU specifications require the fatty acid half to come from condensed castor oil fatty acids, so the ricinoleic acid is plant-derived by regulation. The polyglycerol half is made by polymerizing glycerol, and glycerol can come from vegetable oil or from rendered animal fat.

Also: Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate, Tween 60, PEG-20 sorbitan monostearate

Made from sorbitol, stearic acid, and ethylene oxide. Sorbitol from plant starch is dehydrated to sorbitan, esterified with stearic acid, then ethoxylated to make the molecule water-soluble. The stearic acid is the open part: commercial stearic acid comes from palm and other vegetable oils and also from rendered animal fat.

Also: Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate, Tween 80, PEG-20 sorbitan monooleate…

Built in three steps. Sorbitol from plant starch is dehydrated to sorbitan, the sorbitan is esterified with oleic acid, and the product is reacted with around twenty units of ethylene oxide to make it water-soluble. The sorbitol and the ethylene oxide are plant-derived and petrochemical, and the oleic acid can come from vegetable oil or from animal fat.

Also: Cochineal Red A, New Coccine, Brilliant Scarlet 4R…

A synthetic azo dye made from petrochemical aromatics. Manufacture diazotizes naphthylamine sulfonic acid and couples it to a naphthol sulfonic acid, giving a red disodium salt. The dye has no natural source, and despite one of its trade names, no connection to cochineal insects.

Also: Potassium carbonate (E501i), Potassium hydrogen carbonate (E501ii), Potash…

Mineral salts made from mined potash. Potassium chloride from evaporite deposits is converted to potassium hydroxide by electrolysis, then reacted with carbon dioxide to give potassium carbonate or the bicarbonate. The historical route leached wood ash, which is where the words potash and pearl ash came from.

Also: Potassium pyrosulfite, Campden tablets, K2S2O5…

A mineral sulfite salt. Sulfur is burned to sulfur dioxide, and the gas is absorbed into a potassium carbonate or potassium hydroxide solution, then crystallized. Dissolving the crystals releases sulfur dioxide again, which does the antimicrobial and antioxidant work.

Also: Monopotassium phosphate (E340i), Dipotassium phosphate (E340ii), Tripotassium phosphate (E340iii)…

Mineral salts made by neutralizing phosphoric acid with potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate. The acid comes from mined phosphate rock digested in sulfuric acid, and the potassium comes from mined potash. Different ratios of acid to base give the mono, di, and tri forms.

Also: Potassium salt of sorbic acid, Potassium (E,E)-hexa-2,4-dienoate, Sorbistat-K

The potassium salt of sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is built industrially from ketene and crotonaldehyde, both petrochemical intermediates, then neutralized with potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate to give a salt that dissolves easily in water. The molecule was first traced to rowan berries in 1859, but no commercial producer extracts it from fruit today.

Also: CI 47005, Food Yellow 13, D&C Yellow 10

A synthetic coal tar dye produced entirely from petrochemicals. No animal products are involved.

Also: Animal rennet, Chymosin, Microbial rennet…

Traditional animal rennet is extracted from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves, lambs, or kid goats [not vegan]. Alternatives include: microbial rennet from fungi/bacteria [vegan], vegetable rennet from plants like nettles or fig sap [vegan], and fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC) [vegan, used in most commercial cheese today].

Also: Vitamin B2, Lactoflavin, Riboflavin-5'-phosphate (E101a)

Can be derived from: (1) fermentation using bacteria or yeast [vegan], (2) animal sources such as whey or egg white [not vegan]. The vast majority of commercial riboflavin used in food and supplements is now produced via fermentation (primarily using Ashbya gossypii, a fungus).

Also: Lac resin, Confectioner's glaze, Resinous glaze…

A resin secreted by the female lac bug (Kerria lacca) found in forests of India and Thailand. Harvested from the bark of trees where bugs deposit the resin.

Also: Silica, Amorphous silica, Fumed silica…

A mineral. Food-grade material is synthetic amorphous silica, made either by burning silicon tetrachloride in a flame to give fumed silica, or by acidifying a sodium silicate solution to precipitate it. Both routes start from quartz sand. Diatomaceous earth, the fossil remains of single-celled algae, is a related filter material.

Also: Sodium acetate (E262i), Sodium diacetate (E262ii), Sodium hydrogen diacetate…

Made by neutralizing acetic acid with sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide. The acetic acid comes either from methanol carbonylation, a natural gas route, or from bacterial fermentation of ethanol. Sodium diacetate is a compound of sodium acetate with a second molecule of acetic acid, which lets the vinegar tang be delivered as a dry powder.

Also: Alginate, Algin, Sodium salt of alginic acid…

Extracted from brown seaweed. Harvested kelp species such as Laminaria, Macrocystis, and Ascophyllum are treated with alkali, which dissolves the alginate out of the cell walls; the extract is filtered, precipitated as alginic acid or calcium alginate, and converted to the sodium salt. The whole process runs on seaweed and mineral reagents.

Also: Benzoate of soda, Benzoic acid sodium salt

Produced synthetically from toluene (a petroleum derivative) via a chemical process. No animal products are involved.

Also: Sodium carbonate (E500i), Sodium bicarbonate (E500ii), Baking soda…

Mineral salts of carbonic acid. Most sodium carbonate is made by the Solvay process, which combines brine, limestone, and ammonia; the rest is mined as trona ore, chiefly in Wyoming and Turkey. Sodium bicarbonate, the baking soda in every kitchen, is made by saturating a sodium carbonate solution with carbon dioxide.

Also: Monosodium citrate (E331i), Disodium citrate (E331ii), Trisodium citrate (E331iii)…

Made by neutralizing citric acid with sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide. Commercial citric acid comes from feeding sugar, usually glucose syrup from corn or molasses, to the mold Aspergillus niger, which excretes the acid into the fermentation broth. The broth is filtered and the acid recovered, then converted to the sodium salt.

Also: Sodium pyrosulfite, Sodium disulfite, Na2S2O5…

A mineral sulfite salt. Elemental sulfur, mined or recovered from oil and gas processing, is burned to sulfur dioxide, and that gas is passed into a sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide solution. Crystallizing the product gives sodium metabisulfite, a white powder that releases sulfur dioxide when it meets water or acid.

Also: SSL, Calcium stearoyl lactylate (E482)

Produced from stearic acid (which can be animal-derived or plant-derived) reacted with lactic acid and sodium. Stearic acid from animal fat = not vegan; from vegetable oil = vegan. Source is rarely declared.

Also: Potassium sorbate (E202), Calcium sorbate (E203), 2,4-hexadienoic acid

Originally isolated from the berries of Sorbus aucuparia (rowan tree) in 1859. Now produced synthetically from ketene and crotonaldehyde — entirely petrochemical, no animal involvement.

Also: SMS, Span 60, Sorbitan stearate…

Made from sorbitol and stearic acid. Sorbitol from plant starch is dehydrated to sorbitan, which is then esterified with stearic acid. The sorbitan half is plant-derived without qualification. The stearic acid half comes from palm and other vegetable oils in most commercial supply, and from rendered animal fat in part of the oleochemical trade.

Also: Sorbitol (E420i), Sorbitol syrup (E420ii), Glucitol…

Made by hydrogenating glucose. Starch from corn, wheat, or cassava is broken down into glucose syrup, and hydrogen is added across the sugar's aldehyde group over a nickel catalyst, converting it into the sugar alcohol. The compound also occurs naturally in rowan berries, apples, pears, and stone fruit.

Also: Squalene (unsaturated precursor), Olive squalane, Sugarcane squalane

Historically, squalene (the unsaturated precursor) was extracted from shark liver oil [not vegan]. Today, most commercial squalane is derived from: (1) olive oil [vegan], (2) sugarcane fermentation [vegan], or (3) wheat germ [vegan]. However, shark-derived squalene is still used in some pharmaceutical vaccine adjuvants.

Also: Class IV caramel, Caramel color IV, Soft drink caramel…

Made by heating plant carbohydrates with both sulfite and ammonium compounds. The sugar feedstock is glucose syrup, sucrose, invert sugar, or molasses, usually from corn, wheat, or cane. Sulfite and ammonium salts steer the browning reaction toward a negatively charged, acid-stable color that holds up in carbonated drinks.

Also: FD&C Yellow No. 6, Orange Yellow S, CI 15985

A synthetic azo dye produced from petrochemicals. Entirely synthetic with no animal-derived components.

Also: Beef tallow, Mutton tallow, Sodium tallowate (in soap)…

Rendered fat from cattle or sheep, produced as a byproduct of the beef and lamb industries.

Also: FD&C Yellow No. 5, CI 19140, Acid Yellow 23

A synthetic azo dye produced entirely from petrochemicals. No animal products are used in its manufacture.

Also: TiO2, CI 77891, Titania…

A mineral pigment refined from titanium ore. Ilmenite or rutile is processed by either the sulfate route, which digests the ore in sulfuric acid, or the chloride route, which converts it to titanium tetrachloride and burns that back to the oxide. The result is a bright white powder of high opacity.

Also: Vitamin E, Alpha-tocopherol (E307), Gamma-tocopherol (E308)…

Found naturally in plant oils (particularly sunflower, soybean, wheat germ, and palm oil) and in animal-derived foods. Commercial food-grade tocopherols are extracted primarily from vegetable oil deodoriser distillate (a byproduct of vegetable oil refining) [vegan]. Some pharmaceutical-grade vitamin E supplements use synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol [vegan] or natural d-alpha-tocopherol from plant sources [vegan].

Also: Pentasodium triphosphate (E451i), Pentapotassium triphosphate (E451ii), Sodium tripolyphosphate…

Mineral salts made from phosphate rock. Phosphoric acid from mined ore is neutralized with sodium or potassium carbonate, and the resulting orthophosphates are heated until three phosphate units condense into a chain, releasing water. The product is a white powder that binds metal ions and holds water.

Also: Vegetable black, Carbo medicinalis vegetalis, Plant charcoal…

Made by charring plant material. Wood, peat, coconut shell, or cellulose residues are carbonized under controlled heat with limited oxygen, then washed and milled to a fine black powder. EU specifications require the raw material to be vegetable, which is what separates this number from carbon blacks of other origin.

Also: Cholecalciferol, Ergocalciferol (D2, vegan form)

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is most commonly derived from lanolin (sheep's wool grease) via UV irradiation. A vegan alternative is derived from lichen (algae-fungi organism). Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is always vegan (yeast-derived).

Also: Whey protein, Whey powder, Milk serum

The liquid byproduct of cheese and yogurt production, derived from cow's milk. Contains lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, and serum albumin.

Also: Xanthomonas campestris polysaccharide

Produced by bacterial fermentation — specifically, the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris fermenting a carbohydrate substrate (typically corn sugar or glucose). Entirely microbial in origin.