Glycine

E number E640CAS 56-40-6

Glycine is the simplest amino acid, used as a flavouring, a buffer and a nutrient. It has a distinctly sweet taste, which is where its name comes from.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Glycine by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationPermitted, with conditions21 CFR 172.812retrieved 2026-09-07
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFANot listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.

What it is made from

Produced by chemical synthesis from chloroacetic acid and ammonia, or by hydrolysing protein — collagen is unusually rich in it, so the source is worth knowing.

  • Vegan status depends on the source
  • Vegetarian status depends on the source
  • May raise a halal question
  • May raise a kosher question

This is not an omission. What this additive is made from is not fixed — depending on the manufacturer it may be plant, animal or microbial in origin, nobody is required to say which, and the same product can change source between production runs. Ask the manufacturer if it matters to you; a label cannot answer it.

CAS registry number
56-40-6
InChIKey
DHMQDGOQFOQNFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
PubChem
CID 750

Every name it appears under

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

E number

  • E640

CAS registry number

  • 25718-94-9
  • 56-40-6

As it appears in regulation

  • Glycine

Other names

  • 2-aminoacetate
  • 2-Aminoacetic acid
  • 2-azaniumylacetate
  • [14C]glycine
  • Acetic acid, amino-
  • Acid, Aminoacetic
  • Acide aminoacetique
  • Acido aminoacetico
  • Acidum aminoaceticum
  • Aciport
  • amino-Acetic acid
  • aminoacetate
  • Aminoacetic acid
  • AMINOACETIC ACID 1.5% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER
  • Aminoazijnzuur
  • Aminoessigsaeure
  • Aminoethanoic acid
  • Amitone
  • Athenon
  • BLOTTING BUFFER
  • Calcium Salt Glycine
  • CAREDO Repair Cracked Teeth Toothpastes
  • CAREDO Repair Cracked Teeth Toothpastes 100g
  • CAREDO Treating Gingivitis Toothpastes
  • CAREDO Treating Gingivitis Toothpastes 100g
  • CCRIS 5915
  • Copper Salt Glycine
  • Corilin
  • E 640(i)
  • FEMA No. 3287
  • Glicina
  • Glicoamin
  • GLY
  • GLY (IUPAC abbrev)
  • Glycine
  • GLYCINE 1.5% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER
  • Glycine iron sulphate (1:1)
  • Glycine, non-medical
  • Glycine, peptides
  • Glycinum
  • Glycocoll
  • Glycolixir
  • Glycosthene
  • Glykokoll
  • Glyzin
  • Gyn-hydralin
  • H-Gly-OH
  • H2N-CH2-COOH
  • Hampshire glycine
  • Hgly
  • HSDB 495
  • L-Glycine
  • Leimzucker
  • Monosodium Salt Glycine
  • Padil
  • Repair Cracked Teeth Toothpaste
  • Salt Glycine, Monosodium
  • Sucre de gelatine
  • Treating Gingivitis Toothpaste

Systematic names

  • 2-aminoacetic 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

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

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/glycine.json