Anti-caking agent
E542 (bone phosphate): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E542 is bone phosphate, an anti-caking agent made from animal bones. A vegan profile gets Not for you; a vegetarian profile gets Not for you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Not for you
for a vegan profile
E542=animal bones
What is E542?
E542 (bone phosphate) is an anti-caking agent, an additive that stops the grains of a powder sticking together.
What is E542 made from?
E542 comes from animal bones. Made from animal bones. Labels do not say which animal.
- Animal bones
Is E542 vegan?
Not for you. E542 comes from animal bones. That is an animal source.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E542 have on a label?
On a label, E542 can also appear as “INS 542”, “Anti-caking agent (542)”, “Anti-caking agent (E542)”, “Bone phosphate” or “Edible bone phosphate”.
Any of these on a pack means E542. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E542?
Nothing on the pack changes the answer: E542 is always from animal bones. A recipe that drops the code would.
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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