Build my profileBuild my profile

Colour

E173 (aluminium): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E173 is aluminium, a colour. E173 comes from minerals. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check

Fits you

for a vegan profile

E173=minerals

What is E173?

E173 (aluminium) is a colour, an additive that adds or restores colour in a food. Allowed in the EU only on sugar decorations for cakes.

What is E173 made from?

E173 comes from minerals.

  • Minerals

Is E173 vegan?

Fits you. E173 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.

What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.

VeganFits youE173 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE173 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E173 have on a label?

On a label, E173 can also appear as “INS 173”, “Colour (173)”, “Colour (E173)” or “Aluminium”.

Any of these on a pack means E173. The checker reads them all.

E173E 173E-173INS 173Colour (173)Colour (E173)Aluminium

What would change the answer for E173?

For E173, only the ingredient list itself: a code the camera cannot read gets Needs one more scan, and the app never guesses a code it cannot see.

Sources: EU, US and Codex additive rules

Where additives are listed and approved. Bravoora reads the source and the diet; it does not rate the hazard.

  1. EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
  2. EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
  3. US FDA: Food Additive Status List
  4. FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online

Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).

Create a website profile with the things you avoid and the people you check for.

Build my profile

Save and edit your profile on this website. App transfer is not available yet.