Food Safety Substance

Carnauba waxE903

Q: What is Carnauba wax used for in food?

Carnauba wax appears in food-use rows as: Surface treatment/Antioxidant; Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent; Glazing agent.

Q: Is Carnauba wax / E903 safe?

This page does not assign a standalone safety verdict; it renders public regulatory evidence. ADI/reference value: EFSA ADI <= 7 mg/kg bw. EU status evidence: PUBLISHED. US/FDA evidence: GRAS.

Q: What is the ADI for Carnauba wax?

Carnauba wax has this ADI/reference value in the food-safety tables: EFSA ADI <= 7 mg/kg bw. Source: EFSA CONTAM 2012.

Q: Is Carnauba wax also used in cosmetics?

Carnauba wax has a same-CAS cosmetics cross-reference: Carnauba Wax, EU status permitted.

Carnauba wax (E903) is a food additive with PUBLISHED in the EU, GRAS in the US, and data from 9 regulatory sources.

CAS 8015-86-9 E903 Indexable evidence set

FDA

GRAS

ADI / TDI

EFSA ADI <= 7 mg/kg bw

Codex

13 row(s)

SOURCE D1 identity resolution e number aliases | Food Additives | dsstox identifiers | 9 matched regulatory source group(s)

Substance Identity

Resolved identifiers used to render this food-safety record.

Substance name

Carnauba wax

CAS

8015-86-9

E-number

E903

DTXSID

DTXSID3044178

Evidence tier

Indexable evidence set (16)

SOURCE EU Commission FDA | Health Canada | Codex Alimentarius

Multi-Jurisdiction Comparison

Side-by-side status rows for the same resolved substance across public food regulators.

Jurisdiction	Authority	Status	Evidence
European Union	EU Commission	PUBLISHED	EU additive listing; Annex II entry
Canada	Health Canada	Listed	Glazing agent
Codex	Codex Alimentarius	Listed	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent

SOURCE EU Commission EU Food Additives | EU Food Additives Database

EU Food Additive Status

EU Commission food-additive listing rows from eu_food_additives.

Jurisdiction	E-number	Status	Type	Name	Note
European Union	E903	PUBLISHED	substanceFAD	Carnauba wax	-

SOURCE EU Commission EU Annex II Authorised | EU Food Additives Database

EU Annex II Authorised Uses

Authorised additive rows and use conditions from EU Annex II tables.

Jurisdiction	E-number	Name	INS	Policy item	Note
European Union	E903	Carnauba wax	-	POL-FAD-IMPORT-3275	-

Conditions and restrictions

Jurisdiction	Food category	Restriction	Comment	Source
European Union	5.1 Cocoa and chocolate products as covered by Directive 2000/36/EC	ML 500 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	5.2 Other confectionery including breath freshening micro-sweets	ML 500 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	5.3 chewing gum	ML 1200 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	5.4 Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit-based fillings covered by category 4.2.4	ML 500 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	5.4 Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit-based fillings covered by category 4.2.4	ML 200 mg/kg	as glazing agent only for small fine bakery wares, coated with chocolate	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	7.2 Fine bakery wares	ML 200 mg/kg	only as glazing agents only for small products of fine bakery wares coated with chocolate	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	10.2 processed eggs and egg products	ML 3600 mg/kg	only on the surface of unpeeled coloured boiled eggs	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	14.1.5.1 coffee coffee extracts	ML 200 mg/l	only coffee beans, as glazing agent	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	15.1 Potato- cereal- flour- or starch-based snacks	ML 200 mg/kg	as glazing agents only	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	15.2 Processed nuts	ML 200 mg/kg	as glazing agents only	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	17.1 food supplements supplied in a solid form excluding food supplements for infants and young children’,	ML 200 mg/kg	-	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	5.1 Cocoa and chocolate products as covered by Directive 2000/36/EC	ML 500 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	5.2 Other confectionery including breath freshening micro-sweets	ML 500 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	5.3 chewing gum	ML 1200 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	5.4 Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit-based fillings covered by category 4.2.4	ML 500 mg/kg	as glazing agent only	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	5.4 Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit-based fillings covered by category 4.2.4	ML 200 mg/kg	as glazing agent only for small fine bakery wares, coated with chocolate	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	7.2 Fine bakery wares	ML 200 mg/kg	only as glazing agents only for small products of fine bakery wares coated with chocolate	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	14.1.5.1 coffee coffee extracts	ML 200 mg/l	only coffee beans, as glazing agent	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	15.1 Potato- cereal- flour- or starch-based snacks	ML 200 mg/kg	as glazing agents only	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	15.2 Processed nuts	ML 200 mg/kg	as glazing agents only	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	17.1 food supplements supplied in a solid form excluding food supplements for infants and young children’,	ML 200 mg/kg	-	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	10.2 processed eggs and egg products	ML 3600 mg/kg	only on the surface of unpeeled coloured boiled eggs	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	4.1.1 entire fresh fruit and vegetables	ML 200 mg/kg	only for the surface treatment of citrus fruit, melons, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, mangoes, avocados, papayas and cassavas and, as glazing agent, on nuts’	EU Food Additives Database

SOURCE Codex Alimentarius Codex GSFA

Codex GSFA Status

Codex Alimentarius GSFA permissions and maximum-use rows.

Jurisdiction	INS / E-number	Function	Food category	Max level	Notes
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	04.1.1.2 Surface-treated fresh fruit	400 mg/kg	-
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	04.1.2 Processed fruit	400 mg/kg	Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Mango Chutney (CODEX STAN 160-1987).; Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Date Paste (CODEX STAN 314R-2013).
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	04.2.1.2 Surface-treated fresh vegetables (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera), seaweeds, and nuts and seeds	400 mg/kg	For use on nuts only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	05.1.4 Cocoa and chocolate products	5,000 mg/kg	Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Chocolate and Chocolate Products (CODEX STAN 87-1981).; For use in surface treatment only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	05.1.5 Imitation chocolate, chocolate substitute products	5,000 mg/kg	For use in surface treatment only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	05.2 Confectionery including hard and soft candy, nougats, etc. other than food categories 05.1, 05.3 and 05.4	5,000 mg/kg	Excluding products conforming to the Codex Regional Standard for Halawa Tehenia (CODEX STAN 309R-211).; For use in surface treatment only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	05.3 Chewing gum	1,200 mg/kg	For use in surface treatment only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	05.4 Decorations (e.g. for fine bakery wares), toppings (non-fruit) and sweet sauces	4,000 mg/kg	-
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	07.0 Bakery wares	GMP	For use in surface treatment only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	13.6 Food supplements	5,000 mg/kg	For use in surface treatment only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	14.1.4 Water-based flavoured drinks, including sport, energy, or electrolyte drinks and particulated drinks	200 mg/kg	For use as a flavour carrier only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	14.1.5 Coffee, coffee substitutes, tea, herbal infusions, and other hot cereal and grain beverages, excluding cocoa	200 mg/kg	For use on coffee beans only.
Codex	903	Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent	15.0 Ready-to-eat savouries	200 mg/kg	For use in surface treatment only.

SOURCE Health Canada

Health Canada Status

Health Canada food-additive permissions by functional class and food scope.

Jurisdiction	Class	Permitted foods	Maximum level	List
Canada	Glazing agent	Unstandardized confectionery	4,000 ppm	List of Permitted Glazing Agents
Canada	Antifoaming agent	-	6 ppm	List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Purposes of Use

SOURCE EU Commission EU Food Contact Materials

EU FCM Substances

EU food-contact material rows and migration-limit fields.

Jurisdiction	FCM no.	Ref no.	Substance	Use	SML	Regulation
European Union	533	42720	carnauba wax	additive/PPA	-	Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, Annex I

SOURCE JECFA JECFA ADI

JECFA ADI Values

JECFA ADI records and evaluation years.

Jurisdiction	Chemical name	JECFA no.	CAS	ADI	ADI upper	Function	Evaluation year
JECFA	CARNAUBA WAX	-	8015-86-9	0-7 mg/kg bw	7	ACIDITY_REGULATOR, BULKING_AGENT, CARRIER, CARRIER_SOLVENT, GLAZING_AGENT	1992

SOURCE ingredients ghs classifications

Cross-Reference to Cosmetics / Chemicals / Pharma

Same-CAS public rows from adjacent Roots verticals where available.

SOURCE Cross-vertical comparison ingredients | ghs classifications

Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence

This substance has different regulatory treatment across food, cosmetics, and industrial use.

CosmeticsCarnauba WaxEU status: permitted Industrial / GHSGHS row foundEuropean Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

SOURCE FAQPage JSON-LD public food renderer rows

Frequently Asked Questions

Food-use, safety, ADI, and cross-vertical answers mirrored into FAQPage JSON-LD.

What is Carnauba wax used for in food?

Carnauba wax appears in food-use rows as: Surface treatment/Antioxidant; Acidity regulator; Anticaking agent; Bulking agent; Carrier; Glazing agent; Glazing agent.

Is Carnauba wax / E903 safe?

This page does not assign a standalone safety verdict; it renders public regulatory evidence. ADI/reference value: EFSA ADI <= 7 mg/kg bw. EU status evidence: PUBLISHED. US/FDA evidence: GRAS.

What is the ADI for Carnauba wax?

Carnauba wax has this ADI/reference value in the food-safety tables: EFSA ADI <= 7 mg/kg bw. Source: EFSA CONTAM 2012.

Is Carnauba wax also used in cosmetics?

Carnauba wax has a same-CAS cosmetics cross-reference: Carnauba Wax, EU status permitted.