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Anti-caking agent

E470b (magnesium salts of fatty acids): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E470b can come from plant oils or animal fat, and the pack rarely says which. Vegetarian and vegan profiles get Heads up: source not stated.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check

Heads up

for a vegan profile

E470b=source not stated

What is E470b?

E470b (magnesium salts of fatty acids) is an anti-caking agent, an additive that stops the grains of a powder sticking together.

What is E470b made from?

E470b can come from plant oils or animal fat. The source is not stated on the pack: a label does not have to say which of these was used.

  • Plant oils
  • Animal fat

Is E470b vegan?

Heads up. Source not stated. E470b can come from plant oils or animal fat. The pack does not have to say which, so the app says Heads up instead of guessing.

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

VeganHeads upSource not stated. E470b can come from plant oils or animal fat. The pack does not have to say which, so the app says Heads up instead of guessing.
VegetarianHeads upSource not stated. E470b can come from plant oils or animal fat. One of those is meat, fish or a slaughter by-product, and the pack does not have to say which.

What other names does E470b have on a label?

On a label, E470b can also appear as “INS 470b”, “Anti-caking agent (470b)”, “Anti-caking agent (E470b)”, “Magnesium salts of fatty acids” or “Magnesium stearate”.

Any of these on a pack means E470b. The checker reads them all.

E470bE 470bE-470bINS 470bAnti-caking agent (470b)Anti-caking agent (E470b)Magnesium salts of fatty acidsMagnesium stearate

What would change the answer for E470b?

For E470b, a stated source changes the answer. A pack that says “from plant oils” gives Fits you; one that says “from animal fat” gives Not for you. A list that is cut off or unreadable gets Needs one more scan.

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).

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