Hydroxyethyl Cellulose (E1525): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Hydroxyethyl cellulose is a cellulose ether made by treating plant cellulose with ethylene oxide, producing a water-soluble thickener, stabiliser and film-former. Like other cellulose ethers it is a high-molecular-weight polymer that the gut neither absorbs nor digests, so it passes through largely intact and carries no meaningful toxicological burden. It is not on the current EU or UK approved additives list, which permits related cellulose ethers such as E461 to E466, but the US FDA recognises it as a cellulose-ether food ingredient.
- Category
- Thickener — Cellulose ether
- Typically used in
- Thickener, stabiliser and film-former, where permitted.
- Regulatory status
- Not on the current EU or UK approved additives list, which covers related cellulose ethers E461 to E466; recognised by the US FDA as a cellulose-ether food-contact substance.
Scrannr flags Hydroxyethyl Cellulose automatically when you scan a barcode.
Where this comes from
- UK Food Standards Agency (2024) — Approved additives and E numbers https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
Products containing Hydroxyethyl Cellulose
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