Octenyl succinic acid (OSA) modified gum arabic
E423 · Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic · Ar oktenilsukcinātskābi modificēti arabika sveķi · Arabská guma modifikovaná kyselinou oktenyljantárovou · Arabská guma modifikovaná oktenyljantarovou kyselinou · Goma arábiga modificada con ácido octenilsuccínico · Goma-arábica modificada por ácido octenilsuccínico · Gomma arabica modificata con acido ottenilsuccinico · gomma Għarbija modifikata b’aċidu Ottenilsuċċiniku · Gomme arabique modifiée à l’acide octénylsuccinique (OSA) · Guma arabika modificirana oktenilsukcinskom kiselinom · Guma arabska modyfikowana kwasem oktenylo-bursztynowym · gumi arabikum, modificiran z oktenil sukcinsko kislino · Gummi arabicum modifierat med oktenylbärnstenssyra · Gumă arabică modificată cu acid octenilsuccinic · Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic · Octenylbarnsteenzuurgemodificeerde Arabische gom · Octenylbernsteinsäuremodifiziertes Gummi arabicum · Octenylravsyremodificeret arabisk gummi · Oktenil-borostyánkősavval módosított gumiarábikum · Oktenilsukcino rūgštimi modifikuotas gumiarabikas · Oktenyylimeripihkahapolla muunnettu arabikumi · Oktenüülmerevaikhappega modifitseeritud kummiaraabik · Τροποποιημένο με οκτενυληλεκτρικό οξύ αραβικό κόμμι · Гума арабика, модифицирана с октенилсукцинилова киселинаE number E423INS 423
Listed as an emulsifier by Canada and Codex.
Listed as emulsifiers (CA, Codex) · thickeners (CA) · stabilisers (CA)
- Canada: Emulsifying agent — Health Canada, List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents (List 4)
- Canada: Emulsifying, stabilizing or thickening agent — Health Canada, List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents (List 4)
- Codex Alimentarius: Emulsifier — CXS 192-1995 Table Three, INS 423
- Canada: Emulsifying, stabilizing or thickening agent — Health Canada, List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents (List 4)
- Canada: Emulsifying, stabilizing or thickening agent — Health Canada, List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents (List 4)
OSA-modified gum arabic is an emulsifier for beverage and flavour emulsions, engineered to hold oil in water better than plain gum arabic does.
Where it is and isn’t permitted
| Jurisdiction | Status | Scope and limits | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia and New Zealand | No listed food uses foundThis site has not matched this substance to any food use on this jurisdiction’s list of authorised food additives. A food additive may be used only in foods that list names. Flavourings, enzymes, processing aids and added nutrients are regulated separately and do not appear on it. | ||
| Canada | Permitted, with conditions | highest permitted level 1,000 mg/kg 5 permitted uses Show every permitted use
| Health Canada, List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents (List 4)and 4 further provisionsretrieved 2026-10-17 |
| European Union | Permitted, with conditions | 3 food categories highest permitted level 10,000 mg/kg Show every food category
| Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008and 2 further provisionsretrieved 2026-10-18 |
| Great Britain | Permitted, with conditions | 3 food categories highest permitted level 10,000 mg/kg or mg/l Show every food category
| Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008and 2 further provisionsretrieved 2026-10-18 |
| Japan | No listing matchedThis site imports only Japan’s list of designated additives (Appended Table 1 to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Food Sanitation Act), matched by English name. Existing additives, natural flavouring agents and ordinary foods used as additives are permitted outside that list and are not imported, so an empty row does not show that Japan does not permit the substance. | ||
| South Korea | No listing matchedThis site imports Part III of South Korea’s Standards and Specifications for Food Additives, matched by CAS number, then INS number, then exact name. Mixed preparations and sanitisers are not imported, and an entry whose identifiers disagreed with a page’s is held for review, so an empty row does not show that South Korea does not permit the substance. | ||
| United States | Not listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited. | ||
| Codex Alimentarius | Permitted | no numerical limit (good manufacturing practice) | CXS 192-1995 Table Three, INS 423retrieved 2026-09-07 |
How much is permitted
A listing usually limits the quantity as well as the food. Only one of the forms that takes is a figure: quantum satis and good manufacturing practice permit the amount the technological effect requires and no more, which is a limit rather than the absence of one. Figures below are the range across every food category this page is listed in, and categories differ between regulators — see how much is permitted.
| Canada | 500 mg/kg – 10,000 mg/kg | 5 numeric limit |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | 1,000 mg/kg – 10,000 mg/kg | 3 numeric limit |
| Great Britain | 1,000 mg/kg – 10,000 mg/kg | 3 numeric limit |
| Codex Alimentarius | — | 1 GMP |
What it is made from
Made by reacting gum arabic, tapped from acacia trees, with octenyl succinic anhydride, which attaches a fat-loving tail to a water-loving molecule.
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Compare other additives on the dietary indexes.
The two specifications, compared
The European Union sets identity and purity by regulation; JECFA publishes its own through FAO, advisory until a country adopts it. Both documents are below in full. These are the parameters each puts a number on.
| Parameter | European Union | JECFA |
|---|---|---|
| Loss on drying | no more than 15 % | no more than 15 % |
| Lead | no more than 2 mg/kg | no more than 2 mg/kg |
The two documents state the same figures for every parameter compared here.
How the EU defines it
The legal specification an additive must meet to be sold as this E number in the EU — what it is, how it may be made, and the purity it must reach. From Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012.
E 423 Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic
Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic is produced by esterifying gum arabic (Acacia seyal), or gum arabic (Acacia senegal) in aqueous solution with not more than 3 % of octenyl succinic acid anhydride. It is subsequently spray dried.
Synonyms: Gum arabic hydrogen octenylbutandioate; Gum arabic hydrogen octenylsuccinate; OSA modified gum arabic; OSA modified gum acacia
Assay, identification and purity criteria
Description and assay
- Weight Average Molecular Weight
- Fraction (i): 3,105 g/mol Fraction (ii) 1,106 g/mol
- Description
- Off-white to light tan, free flowing powder
Identification
- Viscosity of a 5 % solution at 25 °C
- Not more than 30 mPa.s.
- Precipitation reaction
- Forms flocculent precipitate in lead sub-acetate solution (TS)
- Solubility
- Freely soluble in water; insoluble in ethanol
- pH for a 5 % aqueous solution
- 3,5 to 6,5
Purity criteria
- Loss on drying
- Not more than 15 % (105 °C, 5 h)
- Degree of esterification
- Not more than 0,6 %
- Total ash
- Not more than 10 % (530 °C)
- Acid-insoluble ash
- Not more than 0,5 %
- Water insoluble matter
- Not more than 1,0 %
- Test for starch or dextrine
- Boil a 1 in 50 aqueous solution of the sample, add about 0,1 ml iodine TS. No bluish or reddish colour should be produced.
- Test for tannin-bearing gums
- To 10 ml of a 1 in 50 aqueous solution of the sample add about 0,1 ml ferric chloride TS. No blackish coloration or blackish precipitate should be formed.
- Residual octenyl succinic acid
- Not more than 0,3 %
- Lead
- Not more than 2 mg/kg
- Microbiological criteria: Salmonella sp.
- Absent in 25 g
- Microbiological criteria: Escherichia coli
- Absent in 1 g
How JECFA defines it
The international specification for identity and purity, prepared by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and published by FAO. It is a different document from any above, written by a different body and revised on its own cycle; it is advisory, and a country adopts it or does not.
INS 423 Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic
Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic is produced by esterifying gum arabic ( Acacia seyal ), or gum arabic ( Acacia senegal ) in aqueous solution with octenyl succinic acid anhydride. The modified gum, containing not more than 3% octenyl succinate on a weight basis is subsequently spray dried.
Synonyms: Gum arabic hydrogen octenylbutandioate; Gum arabic hydrogen octenylsuccinate; OSA modified gum arabic; OSA modified gum acacia; INS No. 423
Assay, identification and purity criteria
Description and assay
- Specification history
- Prepared at the 82 nd JECFA (2016) and published in the FAO JECFA Monographs 19 (2016), superseding tentative specifications prepared at the 79 th JECFA (2014) and published in the FAO JECFA Monographs 16 (2014). An ADI “not specified” was established at the 82nd JECFA (2016)
- C.A.S. number
- 455885-22-0
- DESCRIPTION
- Off-white to light tan, free flowing powder
- FUNCTIONAL USES
- Emulsifier
Identification
- Solubility (Vol. 4)
- Freely soluble in water; insoluble in ethanol
- 1 H-NMR spectrum
- The 1 H-NMR spectrum of the sample obtained using the procedure described in Tests under “Esterified octenyl succinic acid” corresponds to the reference 1 H-NMR spectrum in the Appendix.
- pH (Vol. 4)
- 3.5 to 6.5 (5% solution)
- Viscosity
- Not more than 30 cP (5% solution, 25°) Add 95 ml of water to a beaker. Place a magnetic stir bar into the water and while stirring add 5 g of the sample. Stir on medium speed for 2 h. Measure viscosity on Brookfield LV viscometer, or equivalent, using spindle number 3 at 30 rpm (factor = 40).
Purity criteria
- Esterified octenyl succinic acid
- Not more than 3% See description under TESTS
- Loss on drying (Vol.4)
- Not more than 15% (105°, 5h)
- Total ash (Vol.4)
- Not more than 10% (530°)
- Acid-insoluble ash (Vol.4)
- Not more than 0.5%
- Water-insoluble matter (Vol. 4)
- Not more than 1.0%
- Starch or dextrin
- Boil a 1 in 50 aqueous solution of the sample, add about 0.1 ml iodine TS. No bluish or reddish colour should be produced.
- Tannin-bearing gums
- To 10 ml of a 1 in 50 aqueous solution of the sample add about 0.1 ml ferric chloride TS. No blackish coloration or blackish precipitate should be formed.
- Residual octenyl succinic acid
- Not more than 0.3% See description under TESTS
- Microbiological criteria (Vol. 4)
- Salmonella species: absent in 25 g Escherichia coli : absent in 1 g
- Lead (Vol. 4)
- Not more than 2 mg/kg Determine using a method appropriate to the specified level. The selection of sample size and method of sample preparation may be based on the principles of the method described in Volume 4 (under “General Methods, Metallic Impurities”).
- Test: Esterified octenyl
- Principle: Determine using 1 H-NMR method to measure remaining
- Test: succinic acid
- octenyl succinic groups present in product following extraction of residual octenyl succinic acid (OSA). Procedure Extraction of residual OSA Accurately weigh 500 mg (to nearest 0.1 mg) of the sample in a 25 ml Erlenmeyer flask, add 15 ml of methanol, stopper the flask and shake it on a shaker overnight. Filter the extract using a filter paper and wash the solid residue, three times with 7 ml portions of methanol. Allow the methanol to evaporate from the filter cake in the hood and dry the filter cake in a forced air oven at 40° overnight. Grind the dried cake using mortar and pestle. 1 H NMR Solvent system A Dimethyl sulfoxide-d 6 (DMSO-d 6 containing 1.88% w/w deuterated trifluoroacetic acid (TFA-d 1 ) and 0.42% w/w recrystallized 1,4-bis(trichloromethyl)benzene (BTCMB, recrystallized from hexane). In the solvent system, BTCMB is an internal standard. 1 H NMR Solvent system B Dimethyl sulfoxide-d 6 (DMSO-d 6 containing 1.88% w/w deuterated trifluoroacetic acid (TFA-d 1 ) and 1.25 mg/ml OSA standard. System validation Dissolve 15 mg dried purified non-modified gum Arabic in total 750 μl NMR solvent system mixture A & B prepared according to the following Table. Heat the solution to fully solubilize the purified gum Arabic. Transfer the solution into a 5 mm NMR tube. Volume A Volume B BTCMB OSA OSA % ( μ l) ( μ l) (mg) (mg) (theoritecal) 750 0 3.75 0 0 620 130 3.1 0.16 1.08 500 250 2.50 0.31 2.08 400 350 1.75 0.44 2.92 Sample preparation Dissolve 15 mg dried purified OSA-modified gum Arabic in 750 μl 1 H NMR solvent system A. Heat the solution to fully solubilize the purified OSA-modified gum Arabic. Transfer the solution into a 5 mm NMR tube. Determine percent of esterified OSA in OSA-modified gum Arabic by 1 H-NMR using a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer. Experimental conditions: Temperature: 85°. 17.8 μs 90° pulse, 32 second relaxation delay, 1.37 second acquisition time, 8192 data points, 5,973.8 Hz sweep width, 0.5 Hz exponential apodization line broadening, 16 scans. Calculation Use the OSA methyl proton peak at 0.8-0.89 ppm and BTCMB peak at 8.1 ppm to calculate the percent of esterified OSA in the sample. where: I OSA-Me is integrated peak area of the OSA methyl proton peak; I BTCMB is integrated peak area of the BTCMB internal standard proton peak; W BTCMB is the weight of BTCMB internal standard in mg (4.2 mg/ml x 0.750 ml) and W MGA is the weight of modified gum Arabic present in solution in the NMR experiment tube in mg. NOTE: 1: The signal intensity for OSA-Me comes from 3 protons/molecule, therefore, I OSA-Me /3 corresponds to the number of molecules of OSA. The signal intensity for BTCMB comes from 4 protons/molecule and so I BTCMB /4 corresponds to the number of molecules of BTCMB. 210.27 and 312.84 are the molecular weights of OSA and BTCMB, respectively. 2. Plot the % OSA theoretically calculated in the Table above vs the % OSA calculated by the NMR measurement, using the weight of the unmodified gum arabic in the place of W MGA . (A linear correlation should be obtained with correlation coefficient >0.99, slope close to 1 and low intercept). 3. Use the correlation slope and intercept to correct the calculated amount in the sample.
- Test: Residual octenyl succinic acid
- Determine by HPLC on the 2-bromoacetophenone-derivatised methanolic extract of the sample. Extraction and Preparation of Sample Solution Accurately weigh 500 mg (to nearest 0.1 mg) of the sample in a 25 ml Erlenmeyer flask, add 15 ml of methanol, stopper the flask and shake it on a shaker overnight. Filter the extract using a filter paper, wash the residue, three times with 7 ml portions of methanol and combine the filtrate (about 80% of the OSA residues is extracted by this procedure). Add 1 ml of 0.16 N KOH in methanol to the combined filtrate. Dry the extract using a flash evaporator at 30° and dissolve the residue in 2 ml of methanol. Pipette 0.5 ml of this solution into a reaction vial, add 0.5 ml of derivatisation reagent [2.8 g of 2-p-dibromoacetophenone and 0.28 g of 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane (18-Crown-6) in 50 ml CH 3 CN]. Add 2 ml CH 3 CN to the reaction vial, cap the vial and heat at 80° for 30 min. Allow the vial to reach room temperature and analyse the reaction product by HPLC within 24 h. HPLC Conditions: Column: μ-Bondapack C18 or equivalent Mobile Phase: Methanol and Water with gradient elution: 70% to 80% of methanol in water in 5 min Flow rate: 1.5 ml/min Detector: UV at 254 nm Injection volume: 5 μl Preparation of Standard Curve Prepare a 105.14 mg/ml solution of octenylsuccinic acid anhydride (available from Milliken Chemicals) in methanol (Solution A). Using a syringe draw 0.25 ml of Solution A, transfer into a 25-ml volumetric flask and dilute to mark with methanol (Solution B). Prepare three working standard (Solution C1, C2 and C3) by transferring 0.5, 1 and 2 ml each of Solution B into three 50-ml round bottom flasks, add 1 ml of 0.16 N KOH in methanol to each flask, dry the solution using a flash evaporator at 30° and dissolve the residue in 2.0 ml of methanol. To 0.5 ml each of these solutions in reaction vials, add 0.5 ml each of derivatisation reagent [2.8 g of 2-p-dibromoacetophenone and 0.28 g of 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane (18-Crown-6) in 50 ml of CH 3 CN]. Add 2 ml of CH 3 CN to each vial, cap the vials and heat for 30 min at 80°. Allow the vials to reach room temperature and analyze by HPLC immediately. The amount of octenyl succinic acid in each 5-μl injection is as follows: Solution C1: 0.2375 μg Solution C2: 0.4750 μg Solution C3: 0.9500 μg Construct the standard curve using peak area against the amount of standard in the injected volume. Inject 5-μl of prepared sample solution and read the amount of octenyl succinic acid in the injection from the standard curve. Calculation 300 V % Residual octenyl succinic acid = W where V is the amount of OSA (μg) in the injected volume; and W is the weight of the sample (mg). NOTE: The formula is corrected to 100% recovery by dividing with 0.80, so that 240/0.80 = 300.
- Test: Appendix Representative
- 1 H NMR spectrum of OSA modified gum Arabic
Authorised in other additives, enzymes, flavourings and nutrients
These authorisations are not for use in food. They let this substance be used inside another additive, a food enzyme, a flavouring or a nutrient preparation — often as a carrier — and it reaches food only as part of that product. Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.
| Part | May be used in | Maximum level | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in categories 01.8: Dairy analogues, including beverage whiteners; 04.2.5: Jam, jellies and marmalades and similar products; 04.2.5.4: Nut butters and nut spreads; 08.3: Meat products; 12.5: Soups and broths, 14.1.5.2: Other, only instant coffee and tea and in cereal based ready-to-eat-dishes. | 240 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in categories 03: edible ices; 07.2: Fine bakery wares; 08.3: Meat products, only processed poultry; 09.2: Processed fish and fishery products including molluscs and crustaceans and in category 16: Desserts excluding products covered in categories 1, 3 and 4. | 500 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in categories 05.1 Cocoa and Chocolate products as covered by Directive 2000/36/EC, 05.2: Other confectionery including breath freshening microsweets, 05.4: Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit based fillings covered by category 4.2.4 and in category 06.3: Breakfast cereals. | 300 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in categories 14.1.4: Flavoured drinks, only non carbonated flavoured drinks containing fruit juices; 14.1.2: Fruit juices as defined by Directive 2001/112/EC and vegetable juices, only vegetable juices and in category 12.6: Sauces, only gravies and sweet sauces. | 400 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in category 01.7.5: Processed cheese. | 120 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in category 05.3: Chewing gum. | 60 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in category 10.2: Processed eggs and egg products. | 140 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in category 14.1.4: Flavoured drinks, only flavoured drinks not containing fruit juices and in carbonated flavoured drinks containing fruit juices and in category 14.2: Alcoholic beverages, including alcohol-free and low-alcohol counterparts. | 220 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
| Annex III, Part 4: Food additives including carriers in food flavourings | Flavouring-oil emulsions used in category 15: Ready-to-eat savouries and snacks. | 440 mg/kg in the final food | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex III, Part 4 |
Every name it appears under
25 recorded names. A label may use any of them.
E number
- E423
As it appears in regulation
- Octenyl succinic acid modified gum arabic
Hazard reference values
| Type | Value | Population | Assessed by | Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI | not specified | — | JECFA | 2016 |
Evidence and how bodies read it
Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.
Common questions
Assembled from what is above, in the words the questions are usually asked in. Each answer is the same statement the relevant section makes, with the same citations behind it.
- What is E 423?
- E 423 is Octenyl succinic acid (OSA) modified gum arabic. OSA-modified gum arabic is an emulsifier for beverage and flavour emulsions, engineered to hold oil in water better than plain gum arabic does.
- What is Octenyl succinic acid (OSA) modified gum arabic used for in food?
- It is listed as an emulsifier — the role Canada and Codex assign it. This page shows every function each regulator records, with the citation for each.
- Where is Octenyl succinic acid (OSA) modified gum arabic permitted?
- Of the seven regulators this site reads, Canada, the EU, Great Britain and the Codex standard permit it. Each permission is for named foods at named levels, not a blanket one; the table on this page gives them with citations.
- Is Octenyl succinic acid (OSA) modified gum arabic vegan?
- Yes. Octenyl succinic acid (OSA) modified gum arabic is not derived from animals, and is suitable for vegetarians. This page says what it is made from and how.
Sources for this page
- ca retrieved 2026-10-17
- eu retrieved 2026-10-18
- gb retrieved 2026-10-18
- gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07
- euspecs retrieved 2026-10-18
- jecfaspecs retrieved 2026-09-23
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