Flavour enhancer

E633 (calcium inosinate): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E633 can come from fish, meat or fermentation, 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

E633=source not stated

What is E633?

E633 (calcium inosinate) is a flavour enhancer, an additive that brings out the taste or smell a food already has.

What is E633 made from?

E633 can come from fish, meat or fermentation. The source is not stated on the pack: a label does not have to say which of these was used.

  • FishDeclared allergen
  • Meat
  • Fermentation

Is E633 vegan?

Heads up. Source not stated. E633 can come from fish, meat or fermentation. 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. E633 can come from fish, meat or fermentation. The pack does not have to say which, so the app says Heads up instead of guessing.
VegetarianHeads upSource not stated. E633 can come from fish, meat or fermentation. One of those is meat, fish or a slaughter by-product, and the pack does not have to say which.
Fish allergyHeads upIt can come from fish. In the EU, UK, US and Gulf a label must name fish when that is the source, so read the Contains line.

What other names does E633 have on a label?

On a label, E633 can also appear as “INS 633”, “Flavour enhancer (633)”, “Flavour enhancer (E633)” or “Calcium inosinate”.

Any of these on a pack means E633. The checker reads them all.

E633E 633E-633INS 633Flavour enhancer (633)Flavour enhancer (E633)Calcium inosinate

What would change the answer for E633?

For E633, a stated source changes the answer. A pack that says “from fermentation” gives Fits you; one that says “from fish” 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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