Thickener or gelling agent
E461 (methyl cellulose): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E461 is methyl cellulose, a thickener. E461 can come from wood pulp or plants. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E461=wood pulp or plants
What is E461?
E461 (methyl cellulose) is a thickener, an additive that thickens a food or gives it the texture of a gel. Often holds plant-based burgers and sausages together.
What is E461 made from?
E461 can come from wood pulp or plants.
- Wood pulp
- Plants
Is E461 vegan?
Fits you. E461 can come from wood pulp or plants. Nothing from an animal.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E461 have on a label?
On a label, E461 can also appear as “INS 461”, “Thickener (461)”, “Thickener (E461)”, “Methyl cellulose” or “Methylcellulose”.
Any of these on a pack means E461. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E461?
For E461, 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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