Adipic acid

E number E355INS 355CAS 00124-04-9

Used as an acidity regulator.

Adipic acid is an acidity regulator used in drink powders, gelatin desserts and bakery fillings, where its low hygroscopicity keeps powders free-flowing.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Adipic acid by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationPermitted21 CFR 184.1009retrieved 2026-09-07
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFAPermitted, with conditions

3 food categories

highest permitted level 1,500 mg/kg

Show every food category
  • 01.1.4 Flavoured Fluid Milk Drinks — 1,500 mg/kg
  • 01.2.1.2 Fermented milks (plain), heat-treated after fermentation — 1,500 mg/kg
  • 01.7 Dairy-based desserts (e.g. pudding, fruit or flavoured yoghurt) — 1,500 mg/kg
CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 355and 2 further provisionsretrieved 2026-09-07

What it is made from

Produced industrially by oxidising cyclohexane, a petroleum feedstock. Most adipic acid made in the world goes into nylon rather than food.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
CAS registry number
00124-04-9

Every name it appears under

11 recorded names. A label may use any of them.

E number

  • E355

INS number

  • 355

CAS registry number

  • 00124-04-9
  • 124-04-9

As it appears in regulation

  • Adipic acid

Other names

  • 1,4-butanedicarboxylic acid
  • ADIPATES
  • Adipic acid
  • E 355
  • Hexanedioic acid

Systematic names

  • adipic acid

Hazard reference values

No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.

Evidence and how bodies read it

Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.

Sources for this page

  • ecfr retrieved 2026-09-07
  • gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07

Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/adipic-acid.json