Preservative

E239 (hexamethylene tetramine): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E239 is hexamethylene tetramine, a preservative. E239 is made in a lab. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.

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By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check

Fits you

for a vegan profile

E239=made in a lab

What is E239?

E239 (hexamethylene tetramine) is a preservative, an additive that makes a food keep longer by protecting it from microbes. Allowed in the EU only in Provolone cheese.

What is E239 made from?

  • Made in a lab

Is E239 vegan?

Fits you. E239 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.

Bravoora is a calorie tracker and ingredient checker app. Scan a pack, a supplement or a skincare label and it answers for each person on your plan.

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

VeganFits youE239 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE239 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E239 have on a label?

Any of these on a pack means E239. The checker reads them all.

E239E 239E-239INS 239Preservative (239)Preservative (E239)Hexamethylene tetramineHexamine

What would change the answer for E239?

For E239, 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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