Polyethylene glycol (E1521) — EFSA ADI <= 10 mg/kg bw/day

Q: What is Polyethylene glycol used for in food?

Polyethylene glycol appears in food-use rows as: stabilizer|humectant; Glazing agent; Stabilizer; Tablet binder.

Q: Is Polyethylene glycol / E1521 safe?

This page does not assign a standalone safety verdict; it renders public regulatory evidence. ADI/reference value: EFSA ADI <= 10 mg/kg bw/day. EU status evidence: PUBLISHED. US/FDA evidence: FDA has no questions.

Q: What is the ADI for Polyethylene glycol?

Polyethylene glycol has this ADI/reference value in the food-safety tables: EFSA ADI <= 10 mg/kg bw/day. Source: EFSA AFC 2007.

Q: Is Polyethylene glycol also used in cosmetics?

Polyethylene glycol has a same-CAS cosmetics cross-reference: PEG-200, EU status permitted.

SOURCE D1 identity resolution e number aliases | Food Additives | dsstox identifiers | 10 matched regulatory source group(s)

Substance Identity

Resolved identifiers used to render this food-safety record.

Substance name

Polyethylene glycol

CAS

25322-68-3

E-number

E1521

DTXSID

DTXSID4027862

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
United States	FDA	FDA has no questions	GRAS notice
Canada	Health Canada	Listed	Tablet binder
Codex	Codex Alimentarius	Listed	Glazing agent; Stabilizer

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	E1521	PUBLISHED	substanceFAD	Polyethylene glycol	-
European Union	E1521	PUBLISHED	substanceFAD	D-a-tocopheryln polyethylene glycol-1000 succinate	-
European Union	E1209	PUBLISHED	substanceFAD	Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft co-polymer	Use as a film coating agent for food supplement produts

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	E1209	Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft co-polymer	-	POL-FAD-IMPORT-3351	Use as a film coating agent for food supplement produts
European Union	E1521	Polyethylene glycol	-	POL-FAD-IMPORT-3332	-

Conditions and restrictions

Jurisdiction	Food category	Restriction	Comment	Source
European Union	11.4.2 table-top sweeteners in powder form	quantum satis	-	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	11.4.3 table-top sweeteners in tablets	quantum satis	-	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 10000 mg/kg	only food supplements in capsule and tablet form	EU Annex II Union List
European Union	11.4.2 table-top sweeteners in powder form	quantum satis	-	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	11.4.3 table-top sweeteners in tablets	quantum satis	-	EU Food Additives Database
European Union	17.1 food supplements supplied in a solid form excluding food supplements for infants and young children’,	ML 10000 mg/kg	only food supplements in capsule and tablet form	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	1209	Glazing agent; Stabilizer	13.6 Food supplements	100,000 mg/kg	For use in capsule and tablet form.
Codex	1521	Antifoaming agent; Carrier; Emulsifier; Glazing agent; Thickener	04.1.1.2 Surface-treated fresh fruit	GMP	-
Codex	1521	Antifoaming agent; Carrier; Emulsifier; Glazing agent; Thickener	05.3 Chewing gum	20,000 mg/kg	-
Codex	1521	Antifoaming agent; Carrier; Emulsifier; Glazing agent; Thickener	11.6 Table-top sweeteners, including those containing high-intensity sweeteners	10,000 mg/kg	-
Codex	1521	Antifoaming agent; Carrier; Emulsifier; Glazing agent; Thickener	13.6 Food supplements	70,000 mg/kg	-
Codex	1521	Antifoaming agent; Carrier; Emulsifier; Glazing agent; Thickener	14.1.4 Water-based flavoured drinks, including sport, energy, or electrolyte drinks and particulated drinks	1,000 mg/kg	-

SOURCE FDA FDA GRAS

FDA GRAS Status

US FDA GRAS notice evidence from enriched and notice tables.

Jurisdiction	GRN	Substance	FDA response	Intended use	Basis	Notifier
United States	374	Maleated isoprenyl polymer with methoxy-polyethylene glycol (MIP-MPEG)	FDA has no questions	As a gum base polymer additive in chewing gum formulations at levels up to 15% of gum base. MIP-MPEG is added to improve gum removability from a variety of surfaces	Scientific procedures	Revolymer Limited
United States	374	Maleated isoprenyl polymer with methoxy-polyethylene glycol (MIP-MPEG)	FDA has no questions	As a gum base polymer additive in chewing gum formulations at levels up to 15% of gum base. MIP-MPEG is added to improve gum removability from a variety of surfaces	Scientific procedures	Revolymer Limited

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	Tablet binder	-	(a) 7.0%	List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Purposes of Use
Canada	Antifoaming agent	-	(b) 10 ppm	List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Purposes of Use
Canada	Lubricant	-	(c) 1.0%	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	76	77732	polyethylene glycol (EO = 1-30, typically 5) ether of butyl 2-cyano 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) acrylate	additive/PPA	0,05 mg/kg	Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, Annex I
European Union	638	23590	polyethyleneglycol	additive/PPA, monomer/macromolecule	-	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	POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS	-	25322-68-3	0-10 mg/kg bw	10	ADJUVANT, CARRIER_SOLVENT	1979
JECFA	POLYVINYL ALCOHOL (PVA) – POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) GRAFT CO-POLYMER	-	96734-39-3; 121786-16-1	no_data	-	GLAZING_AGENT, Food Additives	2015

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.

CosmeticsPEG-200EU status: permitted Industrial / GHSDangerEuropean 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 Polyethylene glycol used for in food?