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E411ThickenerLow concern
Oat Gum
In plain words
The short version
An β-glucan-rich gum from oat hulls — a clean-label thickener with documented cholesterol-lowering effects.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
JECFA evaluated oat gum in 1985 but did not allocate an ADI; no toxicological monograph was prepared. The EU re-evaluation moved E411 out of the active additives list — it is now usually labeled simply as 'oat fiber' or 'oat β-glucan'.
The detail
Extracted from oat-grain endosperm by aqueous milling and purification — concentrates the (1→3)-(1→4)-β-D-glucan polymer naturally responsible for oat porridge's characteristic viscosity. The same molecule that drives the FDA-approved oat-fiber cholesterol-lowering claim at 3 g/day.
Used in oat-milk products for body and creaminess (natural inclusion rather than added thickener), in clean-label cereal coatings, ready meals, and supplements. Marketed alongside the cholesterol-lowering health claim where regulatory frameworks allow.
Off-white to cream-colored powder. Forms viscous solutions in water. Heat-stable in typical food applications.
Oat gum is not on the current EU list of authorised food additives (Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008), so it is not authorised for use as food additive E 411 in the EU. Permitted globally as a natural-fiber ingredient.
Sources
- JECFA database — Oat gum (INS 411), evaluation 1985 (29th meeting) — WHO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 1985. Safety: JECFA allocated no ADI for oat gum
- EFSA NDA Panel — Health claim on oat beta-glucan and lowering blood cholesterol (Art. 14), EFSA Journal 2010;8(12):1885, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1885 — EFSA, 2010. Usage/origin: cholesterol-lowering claim for oat beta-glucan at 3 g/day
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — consolidated text of 18.08.2026 (Annex II, Union list) — EUR-Lex / European Union, 2026. Regulation: E 411 (oat gum) is not on the current EU Union list (list goes from E 410 to E 412)
- 21 CFR 101.81 — Health claims: Soluble fiber from certain foods and risk of coronary heart disease — eCFR / US FDA, 2026. Origin: FDA health claim at 3 g/day oat beta-glucan
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.