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Flavour enhancer

E621 (MSG): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E621 is MSG, a flavour enhancer. E621 can come from fermentation or sugar. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check

Fits you

for a vegan profile

E621=fermentation or sugar

What is E621?

E621 (MSG) is a flavour enhancer, an additive that brings out the taste or smell a food already has.

What is E621 made from?

E621 can come from fermentation or sugar. The source is not stated on the pack: a label does not have to say which of these was used.

  • Fermentation
  • Sugar

Is E621 vegan?

Fits you. E621 can come from fermentation or sugar. Nothing from an animal.

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

VeganFits youE621 can come from fermentation or sugar. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE621 can come from fermentation or sugar. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E621 have on a label?

On a label, E621 can also appear as “INS 621”, “Flavour enhancer (621)”, “Flavour enhancer (E621)”, “Monosodium glutamate (MSG)” or “MSG”.

Any of these on a pack means E621. The checker reads them all.

E621E 621E-621INS 621Flavour enhancer (621)Flavour enhancer (E621)Monosodium glutamate (MSG)MSGMonosodium glutamate

What would change the answer for E621?

For E621, 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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