Polyvinyl alcohol

E number E1203INS 1203CAS 9002-89-5

Used as a thickener — Codex also lists it as glazing agent.

Polyvinyl alcohol is a film former used to coat supplements and some confectionery, and as the material of dissolvable pouches.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Polyvinyl alcohol 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

1 food category

highest permitted level 45,000 mg/kg

CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1203, food category 13.6retrieved 2026-09-07

What it is made from

Made by polymerising vinyl acetate and then hydrolysing it. It is water-soluble, which is what makes dissolvable films possible.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
CAS registry number
9002-89-5

Every name it appears under

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

E number

  • E1203

INS number

  • 1203

CAS registry number

  • 9002-89-5

Other names

  • E 1203
  • POLYVINYL ALCOHOL
  • Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
  • PVOH
  • Vinyl alcohol polymer

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/polyvinyl-alcohol.json