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Flour treatment agent

E920 (L-cysteine): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E920 can come from poultry feathers 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

E920=source not stated

What is E920?

E920 (L-cysteine) is a flour treatment agent, an additive that is added to flour or dough to improve how it bakes.

What is E920 made from?

E920 can come from poultry feathers or fermentation.

  • Poultry feathers
  • Fermentation

Is E920 vegan?

Heads up. Source not stated. E920 can come from poultry feathers 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. E920 can come from poultry feathers or fermentation. The pack does not have to say which, so the app says Heads up instead of guessing.
VegetarianHeads upSource not stated. E920 can come from poultry feathers or fermentation. One of those is meat, fish or a slaughter by-product, and the pack does not have to say which.

What other names does E920 have on a label?

On a label, E920 can also appear as “INS 920”, “Flour treatment agent (920)”, “Flour treatment agent (E920)”, “L-cysteine” or “Cysteine”.

Any of these on a pack means E920. The checker reads them all.

E920E 920E-920INS 920Flour treatment agent (920)Flour treatment agent (E920)L-cysteineCysteineL-cysteine hydrochloride

What would change the answer for E920?

For E920, a stated source changes the answer. A pack that says “from fermentation” gives Fits you; one that says “from poultry feathers” 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).

All 328 E-numbers

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