Polyethylene glycol

E number E1521INS 1521

Used as an emulsifier — Codex also lists it as antifoaming agent, carrier, glazing agent, thickener.

Polyethylene glycol is a carrier and glazing agent used in coatings, tablets and some confectionery.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Polyethylene glycol by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationNot listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFAPermitted, with conditions

5 food categories

highest permitted level 70,000 mg/kg

Show every food category
  • 04.1.1.2 Surface-treated fresh fruit — GMP
  • 05.3 Chewing gum — 20,000 mg/kg
  • 11.6 Table-top sweeteners, including those containing high-intensity sweeteners — 10,000 mg/kg
  • 13.6 Food supplements — 70,000 mg/kg
  • 14.1.4 Water-based flavoured drinks, including "sport," “energy,” or "electrolyte" drinks and particulated drinks — 1,000 mg/kg
CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1521and 4 further provisionsretrieved 2026-09-07

What it is made from

Made by polymerising petroleum-derived ethylene oxide. The chain length determines whether the product is a liquid or a wax.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

Every name it appears under

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

E number

  • E1521

INS number

  • 1521

Other names

  • E 1521
  • Macrogol
  • PEG
  • POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL
  • Polyethylene oxide

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

  • 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/polyethylene-glycol.json