Anti-caking agent

E551 silicon dioxide (silica): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E551 is silicon dioxide (silica), an anti-caking agent. E551 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

E551=minerals

What is E551?

E551, silicon dioxide (silica), is an anti-caking agent, an additive that stops the grains of a powder sticking together. Stops powders clumping. Common in supplements and spice mixes.

What is E551 made from?

E551 comes from minerals.

  • Minerals

Is E551 vegan?

Fits you. E551 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.

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

VeganFits youE551 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE551 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E551 have on a label?

On a label, E551 can also appear as “INS 551”, “Anti-caking agent (551)”, “Anti-caking agent (E551)”, “Silicon dioxide (silica)” or “Silica”.

Any of these on a pack means E551. The checker reads them all.

E551E 551E-551INS 551Anti-caking agent (551)Anti-caking agent (E551)Silicon dioxide (silica)SilicaSilicon dioxide

What would change the answer for E551?

For E551, 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).

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