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E944Glazing agentLow concern
Propane
In plain words
The short version
A hydrocarbon propellant for aerosol food sprays, often blended with butane.
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; a propellant that mostly escapes rather than being eaten.
The detail
A hydrocarbon gas from natural gas and refining; food grade is purified.
A propellant in aerosol food sprays, often blended with butane/isobutane to tune the spray pressure.
Colourless flammable gas, liquefies under pressure.
Permitted as a propellant in the EU (in vegetable-oil pan sprays for professional use, in water-based emulsion sprays, and in colour-preparation sprays for professional use) and in the US (GRAS); Codex food-additive provisions for propane were withdrawn at CCFA47 (2015).
Sources
- JECFA database — Propane (INS 944) — WHO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2015. JECFA ADI not specified (1979); Codex provisions for propane withdrawn at CCFA47
- 21 CFR 184.1655 — Propane — US eCFR (FDA). US: affirmed GRAS as propellant, aerating agent and gas
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 — Union list of food additives (Annex II to Reg. 1333/2008) — Publications Office of the EU (Official Journal), 2011. EU: permitted in oil pan sprays and water-based emulsion sprays
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/874 — use of butane (E 943a), isobutane (E 943b) and propane (E 944) in colour preparations — Publications Office of the EU (Official Journal), 2017. Safety: SCF found no toxicological concern given low residues
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.