E462 - Ethyl cellulose

At a glance

• What it is: A modified form of plant cellulose that has some of its hydroxyl groups replaced with ethoxy groups.
• E‑number: E462; functions as a carrier and thickener, and is also valued as a film‑former.
• What it does: Adds body, reduces stickiness, and protects sensitive ingredients in coatings and encapsulated flavors.
• Where it shows up: Confectionery coatings, bakery fillings and icings, flavor systems, and food‑supplement tablets or capsules.
• Solubility: Insoluble in water; soluble in certain food‑grade solvents used for coating systems.
• Taste and color: Essentially neutral in taste and color.

Why is Ethyl cellulose added to food?

Food makers turn to ethyl cellulose when they need a water‑insoluble thickener or a film that resists moisture. As a carrier, it can hold flavors and colors in place, protect them from humidity and oxygen, and control how they are released during storage and eating. These functions—thickening, stabilizing, and film‑forming—are why it appears in coatings, glazes, and encapsulated ingredients.¹

What foods contain Ethyl cellulose?

E462 is authorized for use in a wide range of food categories in the European Union, often on a “quantum satis” basis—meaning only as much as needed to achieve the intended effect. Food‑supplement tablets and capsules commonly use it in coatings and matrices, and it also appears in confectionery and bakery applications.¹ In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits ethyl cellulose as a direct food additive at levels needed for its technical effect, rather than at a fixed maximum limit.²

On ingredient lists you may see it as “ethyl cellulose,” “ethylcellulose,” or simply “E462.”

What can replace Ethyl cellulose?

Choosing a substitute depends on what you need it to do:

• For water‑soluble thickening and film formation: methyl cellulose or hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.
• For flexible films and binding in coatings: hydroxypropyl cellulose.
• For general thickening in water‑based foods: sodium carboxy‑methyl cellulose, xanthan gum, pectins, or acacia gum.

These alternatives differ in solubility, texture, clarity, and heat tolerance, so formulators choose based on the specific recipe.

How is Ethyl cellulose made?

Ethyl cellulose starts as purified cellulose from wood pulp or cotton. The cellulose is treated with alkali (to form “alkali‑cellulose”) and then reacted with ethylating agents so that some of the cellulose’s hydroxyl groups become ethoxy groups; the product is washed and purified to remove residual reagents and by‑products.² Specifications in the European Union define ethyl cellulose by its content of ethoxy groups (typically about 44–51% by weight), viscosity grades, and purity criteria.³

Is Ethyl cellulose safe to eat?

Regulators have repeatedly evaluated celluloses, including E462. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) concluded that cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose do not require a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), assigning an “ADI not specified,” which indicates low toxicity at the amounts needed for food use.⁴ In the EU, ethyl cellulose is on the Union list of approved additives with defined identity and purity specifications.³

EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) also reviewed the celluloses as a group and found no safety concern at current uses and use levels, noting that ethyl cellulose is not digested by human enzymes and is of low systemic availability.¹

ADI means Acceptable Daily Intake; it is a scientific estimate of the amount that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

Does Ethyl cellulose have any benefits?

• Technology: Builds body and stabilizes texture in systems where water‑soluble thickeners would fail.
• Protection: Forms moisture‑resistant films that can reduce stickiness and help protect flavors, colors, and nutrients in coatings and encapsulated particles.
• Neutral profile: Adds structure without changing taste, color, or aroma.

Who should avoid Ethyl cellulose?

Most people do not need to avoid E462. As with any additive, individuals under medical advice to limit certain ingredients—or those who believe they react to cellulose derivatives—should discuss labels with a healthcare professional. If you prefer minimal‑ingredient foods, checking for “ethyl cellulose” or “E462” on the ingredient list makes it easy to avoid.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Ethyl cellulose is alcohol.” Fact: Despite the word “ethyl,” the additive is a solid cellulose derivative; manufacturing solvents are removed to meet strict purity specifications.³
• Myth: “It’s basically plastic.” Fact: E462 is made from plant cellulose and is used because it forms edible, moisture‑resistant films—properties shared by several food‑grade hydrocolloids.
• Myth: “It’s new and untested.” Fact: Ethyl cellulose has long‑standing approvals in the EU and U.S., and major safety reviews have found no concern at authorized uses.¹

Ethyl cellulose in branded foods

You’ll most often spot E462 in:

• Coated or panned confectionery, where it helps control stickiness
• Bakery glazes and fillings that need moisture resistance
• Flavor or color “beads” and other encapsulated ingredients
• Food‑supplement tablets and capsules as a coating or matrix

Look for “ethyl cellulose,” “ethylcellulose,” or “E462” on the ingredients list.

References

Footnotes

1. Re‑evaluation of celluloses (E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469) as food additives — EFSA Journal. https://efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5047 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. Ethyl cellulose — 21 CFR 172.868 (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-I/section-172.868 ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for E 462 ethyl cellulose — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Cellulose and modified celluloses (including ethyl cellulose): toxicological evaluation; ADI “not specified” — JECFA (WHO/FAO). http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v35je11.htm ↩