Preservative
E239 (hexamethylene tetramine): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E239 is hexamethylene tetramine, a preservative. E239 is made in a lab. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E239=made in a lab
What is E239?
E239 (hexamethylene tetramine) is a preservative, an additive that makes a food keep longer by protecting it from microbes. Allowed in the EU only in Provolone cheese.
What is E239 made from?
E239 is made in a lab.
- Made in a lab
Is E239 vegan?
Fits you. E239 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E239 have on a label?
On a label, E239 can also appear as “INS 239”, “Preservative (239)”, “Preservative (E239)”, “Hexamethylene tetramine” or “Hexamine”.
Any of these on a pack means E239. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E239?
For E239, 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.
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
- EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
- US FDA: Food Additive Status List
- FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online
Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).
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