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E460ThickenerLow concern
Microcrystalline Cellulose
In plain words
The short version
Highly refined wood-pulp cellulose (MCC) — used as a bulking fiber, anti-caking agent, and texturizer.
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
No ADI specified — considered inert. Not absorbed; passes through the gut as insoluble fiber. Some emerging questions about cellulose-based emulsifiers and gut microbiota, though MCC's particulate form differs from soluble CMC.
The detail
Produced by partial acid hydrolysis of high-purity wood pulp cellulose, yielding crystalline microparticles. Developed by FMC in the late 1950s and commercialized as Avicel.
Used as a bulking agent in low-calorie foods, anti-caking in shredded cheese, stabilizer in low-fat ice cream, and as a binder/disintegrant in pharmaceutical tablets. Typical use 1–5%.
White free-flowing powder, insoluble in water. Forms thixotropic gels at higher concentrations. Stable across the food pH range and heat-stable.
Permitted globally without restrictive limits for food use.
Sources
- WHO JECFA database — Microcrystalline cellulose (INS 460; evaluation 1997, TRS 884) — Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 1997. JECFA ADI 'not specified'
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461–466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives (EFSA Journal 2018;16(1):5047, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5047) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA ANS Panel), 2018. No numerical ADI; no safety concern; EU quantum satis
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.