Thickener or gelling agent

E466 carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E466 is carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a thickener. E466 can come from wood pulp or plants. 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

E466=wood pulp or plants

What is E466?

E466, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), is a thickener, an additive that thickens a food or gives it the texture of a gel. Keeps ice cream smooth and stops sauces separating.

What is E466 made from?

  • Wood pulp
  • Plants

Is E466 vegan?

Fits you. E466 can come from wood pulp or plants. 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 youE466 can come from wood pulp or plants. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE466 can come from wood pulp or plants. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E466 have on a label?

Any of these on a pack means E466. The checker reads them all.

E466E 466E-466INS 466Thickener (466)Thickener (E466)Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)CMCCellulose gumCarboxymethyl cellulose

What would change the answer for E466?

For E466, 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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