E460(i) / Thickeners, stabilisers & emulsifiers
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Safety in brief
Safe
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- No allergen or sensitivity is recorded for this ingredient here. Check the whole product label; this is not an allergen-free guarantee.
- Our advice
- Read the whole food label and consider how often you eat the product. A name or E number does not tell you the amount, and an ingredient rating cannot assess the entire food.
What it is
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a refined form of plant cellulose, most often derived from wood pulp. It is chemically inert and widely used as an anti-caking agent, stabilizer, emulsifier, bulking agent, and disintegrant in both food products and pharmaceutical tablets.
Also appears on labels as: Microcrystalline Cellulose, MCC, Cellulose, microcrystalline, Pharmaceutical cellulose, E460(i), E 460(i), E-460(i), Food grade microcrystalline cellulose, Microcrystalline cellulose powder, Microcrystalline cellulose excipient, Inert cellulose.
What is E460(i), and is it the same as powdered cellulose?
E460(i) is microcrystalline cellulose, often shortened to MCC. It is purified cellulose prepared from fibrous plant material. WHO/JECFA lists anti-caking, emulsifying and stabilising functions: these concern clumping and the consistency of food.
Powdered cellulose is E460(ii), a separately named form prepared by mechanical disintegration. MCC can itself look like a powder; that does not make it the ingredient named powdered cellulose. Check the exact name and subtype on your label.
EU Regulation 2025/666 updates cellulose purity specifications, applying from October 27, 2025 with stock-transition provisions. Its separate changes to certain E466 infant medical-food uses apply from April 27, 2027. These are different ingredients and dates, not a blanket E460 ban or a new human trial.
- WHO/JECFA: microcrystalline cellulose and food functions
- EFSA cellulose re-evaluation: published January 16, amended January 31, 2018
- EU Regulation 2025/666: specifications and application dates, Articles 4–5 and Annex III
- FDA: gluten-free claims apply to the food, including ingredients and cross-contact
See how EatMatrix reads an ingredient list before trying the app. Compare a scan with the physical label.
Identity and food-use sources checked . The E number alone does not tell you the amount in a product. Wider scientific and market checks are described below.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- None recorded
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Selected research on E460(i)
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of celluloses
Celluloses are not absorbed and pass through the gut. No DNA or cancer concern, no need for a numerical daily limit and no safety concern at reported uses.
Summaries of each source's published abstract or statement, checked . This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Generally recognized as safe; it passes through the digestive system largely unabsorbed with no significant health concerns reported at typical use levels.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- 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 Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2018). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
Country rules
Country checks for E460(I)
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | No exact code match in the Annex II Part B list (version 2026-08-18, read 2026-10-07). Identity, subform and legal-use review are pending. This does not establish a permission or a ban. |
| Great Britain | No verified exact register record in this review. Identity and current use rules need checking; missing a record does not establish a ban. |
| United States | Complete current-use review pending. Any scoped provision in the label guide above applies only to the stated use. FDA explains the applicable food-additive and GRAS framework. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | Named food-use records located. Health Canada lists the preparations below for specified foods and purposes. This is conditional permission for those uses, not approval of every product or a personal safety verdict. Only the named records and conditions below were located. Exact composition and specifications still need matching. Source tables captured . List publication dates are shown separately. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a condition of use, not an unlimited amount or a recommended intake. Food and Drug Regulations B.16.003 requires the listed source, purpose, amount and other conditions to match. The official consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026; product specifications and applicable later changes still need checking. Read 16 listed food-use conditionsMicrocrystalline CelluloseHealth Canada: List of Permitted Anticaking Agents. List published ; item M.5.
Microcrystalline CelluloseHealth Canada: List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents. List published ; item M.4.
Microcrystalline CelluloseHealth Canada: List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Purposes of Use. List published ; item M.7.
EatMatrix reading: match the exact preparation and food first. A manufacturing limit is not an acceptable daily intake (ADI). A label without the amount cannot establish exposure, and an unlisted name here does not establish a ban. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 1 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment sources
- Commission-listed EFSA references for E460(I). Bibliographic identity checked; latest findings and current use rules need separate review.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Safe |
| WHO | Safe |
| EFSA | Safe |
| FSANZ | Safe |
| Japan | Safe |
| UK FSA | Safe |
| Health Canada | Safe |
Official assessment sources for E460(I)
The European Commission’s re-evaluation table lists official EFSA documents for this additive. Their identifiers and subjects were checked against publisher bibliographic records. A missing research link in the EatMatrix database does not mean the additive has never been assessed.
Name in the Commission table: Cellulose.
- 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 scientific opinion. Published: .
These are assessment references, including historical or group assessments. They do not establish the latest scientific conclusion, a human health benefit or risk, or current permission to use the additive in a particular food. Later assessments, corrections and food-use conditions need separate review. The recorded EatMatrix rating above is unchanged.
European Commission re-evaluation table, status as of . EatMatrix checked this bibliography on .
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E460(I)?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E460(I) (Microcrystalline Cellulose) is “Safe”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E460(I) vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Microcrystalline Cellulose — vegan: yes, vegetarian: yes, halal: yes, kosher: yes, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E460(I) and why is it used?
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a refined form of plant cellulose, most often derived from wood pulp. It is chemically inert and widely used as an anti-caking agent, stabilizer, emulsifier, bulking agent, and disintegrant in both food products and pharmaceutical tablets.
Does E460(I) contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Microcrystalline Cellulose.
Is microcrystalline cellulose the same as powdered cellulose?
E460(i) identifies microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), while E460(ii) identifies powdered cellulose. They are different named forms of cellulose. MCC may look like a powder, but appearance does not change the subtype printed on the label.
Does E460(i) mean the whole food is gluten-free?
The E460(i) code alone cannot verify a whole food as gluten-free. Check its complete label and gluten-free claim. US FDA requirements cover ingredients and gluten from cross-contact; ask the manufacturer if the product is unclear. An ingredient lookup or app scan cannot certify gluten-free compliance.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.