What is Polyvinyl alcohol used for in food?

It is listed as a thickener, a glazing agent and a solvent — the role Codex and the US assign it. This page shows every function each regulator records, with the citation for each.

Where is Polyvinyl alcohol permitted?

Of the seven regulators this site reads, the EU, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea 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 Polyvinyl alcohol vegan?

Yes. Polyvinyl alcohol is not derived from animals, and is suitable for vegetarians. This page says what it is made from and how.

Polyvinyl alcohol

E number E1203INS 1203CAS 9002-89-5

Listed as a thickener, a glazing agent and a solvent by Codex and the US.

Listed as thickeners (Codex) · glazing and surface-finishing agents (Codex) · solvents and vehicles (US)

Codex Alimentarius: Thickener — CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1203
Codex Alimentarius: Glazing agent — CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1203
United States: Solvent or vehicle — FDA, Substances Added to Food: POLYVINYL ALCOHOL

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.
Jurisdiction	Status	Scope and limits	Citation
Australia and New ZealandFood Standards Australia 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.
CanadaHealth Canada	No listing matchedHealth Canada’s lists name additives without E or INS numbers, so this site matches them by exact name. A substance listed there under a name this site does not recognise has no row here.
European UnionEuropean Commission / EFSA	Permitted, with conditions	1 food category highest permitted level 18,000 mg/kg ML = 18000 mg/kg. only food supplements in capsule and tablet form.	Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 2018/1497retrieved 2026-10-18
Great BritainFood Standards Agency / Food Standards Scotland	Permitted, with conditions	1 food category highest permitted level 18,000 mg/kg or mg/l ML = 18000. only food supplements in capsule and tablet form.	Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024)retrieved 2026-10-18
JapanConsumer Affairs Agency	Permitted, with conditions	Designated additive: Appended Table 1, item 400, ポリビニルアルコール（別名ポバール） (“Polyvinyl Alcohol (Vinyl Alcohol Polymer)” in the unofficial English translation). … Designated additive: Appended Table 1, item 400, ポリビニルアルコール（別名ポバール） (“Polyvinyl Alcohol (Vinyl Alcohol Polymer)” in the unofficial English translation). Standards for use — Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, etc. (MHW Notification No. 370 of 1959), Part II (Food Additives), F (Standards for use), entry ポリビニルアルコール: (1) [may be used only in the foods stated] “ポリビニルアルコールは、カプセル・錠剤等通常の食品形態でない食品以外の食品に使用してはならない。” (2) [sets maximum levels of use for the foods stated] “ポリビニルアルコールの使用量は、カプセル・錠剤等通常の食品形態でない食品1kgにつき45g以下でなければならない。” The Japanese is the standard as published. There is no official English translation of the Notification; the English in square brackets is this site’s description of what each sentence does, not a translation of the foods or the levels. Compositional specifications for this additive, in the same Notification, are not imported and are not shown here; nor are the general rules in F 添加物一般, which apply to every additive.	Regulations for Enforcement of the Food Sanitation Act (MHW Ordinance No. 23 of 1948), Appended Table 1retrieved 2026-10-18
South KoreaMinistry of Food and Drug Safety	Permitted, with conditions	Designated food additive: Standards and Specifications for Food Additives, Part III, 1. … Designated food additive: Standards and Specifications for Food Additives, Part III, 1. 일반식품첨가물 (general food additives), 폴리비닐알콜 (“Polyvinyl Alcohol”, the English the Code prints beside it). Main use (주용도) of 폴리비닐알콜: 피막제. Standard for use (사용기준) of 폴리비닐알콜: (1) [may be used only for the purpose or in the food the sentence states] “폴리비닐알콜은 건강기능식품(정제 또는 이의 제피, 캡슐에 한함) 및 캡슐류의 피막제 목적에 한하여 사용하여야 한다.” The Korean is the standard as published. There is no official English translation of the current Code (the English version on MFDS’s website is the 2020 edition and has no legal effect); the English in square brackets is this site’s description of what each sentence does, not a translation of the foods or the levels. Compositional specifications (Part IV) are not imported, nor are the general standards in Part II, which apply to every additive.	Standards and Specifications for Food Additives (식품첨가물의 기준 및 규격), MFDS Notification, Part III (Standards for use, by item)retrieved 2026-10-18
United StatesFood and Drug Administration	Not listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFA	Permitted, 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

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.

European Union	18,000 mg/kg	1 numeric limit
Great Britain	18,000 mg/kg	1 numeric limit
Japan	—	1 no quantity stated
South Korea	—	1 no quantity stated
Codex Alimentarius	45,000 mg/kg	1 numeric limit

GRAS notices to the FDA

A GRAS notice is a company’s conclusion that a substance is generally recognised as safe for the use it describes. FDA’s letter responds to that conclusion, for that notifier and that use. It is not a listing in 21 CFR, and it is not counted as a US permission above. The substance and use are as FDA’s inventory words them; this site matched the notice to this page by exact name.

GRN No. 1058 · Polyvinyl alcohol · NABACO LLC
Intended use: For use at a maximum level of 0.29 g PVOH/kg of food as a component of a coating for fruits and vegetables.
FDA’s response (2023-06-09): FDA has no questions
GRN No. 927 · Polyvinyl alcohol · Adept Limited
Intended use: A component of water-soluble anus plugs for use in abattoirs to block fecal material during processing of sheep, lambs, and hogs at levels up to 59% of the plug formulation
FDA’s response (2021-02-26): FDA has no questions
GRN No. 767 · Polyvinyl alcohol · MonoSol LLC
Intended use: Component of water soluble, edible film that may be used to form pouches containing pre-portioned aliquots of (1) certain dry ingredients (i.e., instant tea, instant coffee, hot chocolate mix, flavored drink powder, and whey protein supplement powder) to be used by the consumer in preparing ready-to-serve foods and beverages at a level up to 0.734 g PVOH/serving, (2) approved color additives to be used in manufacturing flavored beverages (non-dairy and non-alcohol) at a level up to 0.0006 g PVOH/serving, and (3) dry ingredients to be used by commercial establishments in making pizza dough at a level up to 0.0075 g
FDA’s response (2018-09-07): FDA has no questions
GRN No. 141 · Polyvinyl alcohol · Colorcon
Intended use: Use in aqueous film coatings applied to dietary supplements (tablets/capsules)
FDA’s response (2004-04-28): FDA has no questions

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

Compare other additives on the dietary indexes.

CAS registry number: 9002-89-5

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 5 %	no more than 5 %
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 1203 Polyvinyl alcohol

Polyvinyl alcohol is a synthetic resin prepared by the polymerisation of vinyl acetate, followed by partial hydrolysis of the ester in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. The physical characteristics of the product depend on the degree of polymerisation and the degree of hydrolysis.

Synonyms: Vinyl alcohol polymer, PVOH

Assay, identification and purity criteria

Description and assay

Chemical name: Ethenol homopolymer
Chemical formula: (C₂H₃OR)ₙ where R = H or COCH₃
Description: Odourless, tasteless, translucent, white or cream-coloured granular powder

Identification

Solubility: Soluble in water; Practically insoluble or insoluble in ethanol (≥ 99,8 %)
Precipitation reaction: Dissolve 0,25 g of the sample in 5 ml of water with warming and let the solution cool to room temperature. The addition of 10 ml of ethanol to this solution leads to a white, turbid or flocculent precipitate.
Colour reaction: Dissolve 0,01 g of the sample in 100 ml of water with warming and let the solution cool to room temperature. A blue colour is produced when adding (to 5 ml solution) one drop of iodine test solution (TS) and a few drops of boric acid solution Dissolve 0,5 g of the sample in 10 ml of water with warming and let the solution cool to room temperature. A dark red to blue colour is produced after adding one drop of iodine TS to 5 ml of solution.
Viscosity: 4,8 to 5,8 mPa.s (4 % solution at 20 °C) corresponding to an average molecular weight of 26 000 -30 000 Da

Purity criteria

Water insoluble matter: Not more than 0,1 %
Ester value: Between 125 and 153 mg KOH/g
Degree of hydrolysis: 86,5 to 89,0%
Acid value: Not more than 3,0
Solvent residues: Not more than 1,0 % Methanol, 1,0 % Methyl acetate
pH: 5,0 to 6,5 (4 % solution)
Loss on drying: Not more than 5,0 % (105 °C, 3 hours)
Residue in ignition: Not more than 1,0 %
Lead: Not more than 2 mg/kg

Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012, Annex, E 1203

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 1203 Polyvinyl alcohol

Polyvinyl alcohol is a synthetic resin prepared by the polymerization of vinyl acetate, followed by partial hydrolysis of the ester in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. The physical characteristics of the product depend on the degree of polymerization and the degree of hydrolysis.

Synonyms: Vinyl alcohol polymer, PVOH, INS No. 1203 PVOH; Vinyl alcohol polymer

Assay, identification and purity criteria

Description and assay

Specification history: Prepared at the 68 th JECFA (2007) and published in FAO JECFA Monographs 4 (2007), superseding specifications prepared at the 63 rd JECFA (2004) and published in the Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications, FAO JECFA Monographs 1 (2005). An ADI of 50 mg/kg bw was established at 61 st JECFA (2003).
Chemical names: Ethenol homopolymer
C.A.S. number: 9002-89-5
Chemical formula: (C2H3OR)n where R=H or COCH3 (randomly distributed)
Structural formula: Where R=H or COCH3 (randomly distributed)
DESCRIPTION: Odourless, translucent, white or cream-coloured granular powder.
FUNCTIONAL USES: Coating, binder, sealing agent and surface-finishing agent.

Identification

Solubility (Vol. 4): Soluble in water, sparingly soluble in ethanol.
pH (Vol. 4): 5.0 – 6.5 ( 1 in 25)
Infrared spectrum (Vol. 4): The infrared absorption spectrum of a potassium bromide dispersion of the sample corresponds to that of a polyvinyl alcohol standard (see Appendix).
Colour reaction A: Dissolve 0.01 g of the sample in 100 ml of water with warming and let the solution cool to room temperature. To 5 ml of the solution, add one drop of iodine TS and a few drops of boric acid solution (1 in 25). A blue colour is produced.
Colour reaction B: Dissolve 0.5 g of the sample in 10 ml of water with warming and let the solution cool to room temperature. Add 1 drop of iodine TS to 5 ml of solution and allow to stand. A dark red to blue colour is produced.
Precipitation reaction: Add 10 ml of ethanol to the remaining 5 ml of solution prepared for Colour reaction B. A white, turbid or flocculent precipitate is formed.

Purity criteria

Loss on drying (Vol. 4): Not more than 5.0% (105°, 3 h)
Residue on ignition (Vol. 4): Not more than 1.0%
Water insoluble substances (Vol. 4): Not more than 0.1% Substitute a 100-mesh screen for the sintered-glass filter specified in Volume 4
Particle size: Not less than 99.0% material to pass through a 100 mesh sieve Determine by sieving for 30 min 100g of sample through a 100 mesh sieve and weigh the material passing through the sieve.
Methanol and methyl acetate: Not more than 1.0 % of each See description under TESTS
Acid value: Not more than 3.0 See description under TESTS
Ester value: Between 125 and 153 mg KOH/g See description under TESTS
Degree of hydrolysis: Between 86.5 and 89.0% See description under TESTS
Viscosity: 4.8 - 5.8 mPa•s (4% solution at 20°) See description under TESTS
Lead (Vol. 4): Not more than 2 mg/kg Determine using an AAS/ICP-AES technique appropriate to the specified level. The selection of sample size and method of sample preparation may be based on the principles of the methods described in Vol. 4 (under “General Methods, Metallic Impurities).
Test: Methanol and methyl acetate: Place 2.0 g of the sample into a 100 ml screw-cap bottle, and add a magnetic stirrer. Add 98 ml of water and 30 μl of acetone. Close the bottle tightly with the screw cap and heat in a water-bath, stirring continuously. Once the solution becomes clear, remove the bottle from the water bath and allow it to cool to room temperature. Prepare a standard by taking 2 ml of a mixed solution of methanol and methyl acetate (1.2 % v/v solution), 98 ml of water and 30μl acetone; proceed as above starting from “close the bottle…Temperature”. GC Conditions: Column: Sunpak A (3.2 mm i.d. x 3 m) or equivalent Column temperature: 160° Injector temperature: 160° Detector temperature: 160° Inject 0.4 + 0.1μl of the standard solution into the gas chromatograph and record the peak areas (PAs) for methanol, methyl acetate and acetone. Inject 0.4 + 0.1 μl of the sample solution and record the peak areas (PAs) for methanol, methyl acetate, and acetone. Calculate the methanol and methyl acetate content using the formulae: Methanol (wt%) = PA(methanol)/PA(acetone) x PR1 x 0.024 x 100/2 Methyl acetate (wt %) = PA(methyl acetate)/ PA(acetone) x PR2 x 0.024 x 100/2 where 0.024 is the conversion factor to obtain the masses of methanol and methyl acetate added to 30 μl acetone (density = 0.8) for the methanol/methyl acetate standard; and PR1 and PR2 are the peak area ratios PA(acetone)/PA(methanol) and PA(acetone)/PA(methyl acetate), respectively, of the standard 1.2% methanol and methyl acetate aqueous solutions.
Test: Acid value: Add 200 ml of water and a stir bar into a 500-ml round-bottom flask, attach a reflux condenser and begin heating in a boiling water bath. Add 10.0 g of the sample and continue heating for 30 min while stirring continuously. Remove the flask from the water bath and continue stirring until the solution reaches room temperature. Quantitatively transfer this solution to a 250-ml volumetric flask and dilute to volume with water. Take 50 ml of the solution, add 1 ml of phenolphthalein TS and titrate with 0.05 M potassium hydroxide until the pink colour persists for 15 sec; record the titre in ml (V). Calculate the acid value, A: A = 5.0(56.1×V×M)/W where 56.1 is the formula weight of KOH, M is the molarity of the KOH solution, and W is the weight of sample (g).
Test: Ester value: Accurately weigh about 1.0 g of sample into a 250-ml round-bottom flask, add 25 ml 0.5 M alcoholic potassium hydroxide, 25.0 ml of water and a few glass beads. Attach a condenser and allow the contents to reflux for 30 minutes in a boiling water-bath. Let cool to room temperature, remove the condenser, add 1 ml of phenolphthalein TS and titrate immediately with 0.5 M hydrochloric acid; record the titre in ml (V1). Carry out a blank test under the same conditions. Titrate with 0.5 M hydrochloric acid and record the titre in ml (V2). Calculate the saponification value, S: S = 56.1(V2 – V1) × M/W where 56.1 is the formula weight of KOH, M is the molarity of the hydrochloric acid solution, and W is the weight of the sample in (g). Calculate the ester value, E: E = S – A where S is the saponification value and A is acid value.
Test: Degree of hydrolysis: Convert the saponification value obtained during the determination of the ester value to the “dried basis” (Sdb): Sdb = (S x 100)/(100 – LOD) where LOD is Loss on Drying The degree of hydrolysis is: 100 – [7.84 Sdb /(100 – 0.075 Sdb)]
Test: Viscosity: Calibration of capillary-type viscometers An oil of known viscosity is used to determine the viscometer constant (k ) . Ostwald-Type Viscometer : Fill the tube with the exact amount of oil (adjusted to 20.0±0.1°), as specified by the manufacturer. Use either pressure or suction to adjust the meniscus of the column of liquid in the capillary tube to the level of the top graduation line. Allow the liquid to flow into the reservoir against atmospheric pressure by opening both the filling and capillary tubes. If either tube is not open, false values might be obtained. Record the time (seconds), for the liquid to flow from the upper mark to the lower mark of the capillary tube (efflux time). Ubbelohde-Type Viscometer : Place a quantity of the oil (adjusted to 20.0 ± 0.1°) in the filling tube, and transfer to the capillary tube by gentle suction. Keep the air vent tube closed in order to prevent bubble formation in the liquid. Adjust the meniscus of the column of liquid in the capillary tube to the level of the top graduation line. Allow the liquid to flow into the reservoir against atmospheric pressure by opening both the filling and capillary tubes. If either tube is not open, false values might be obtained. Record the efflux time (seconds). The viscosity constant for capillary-type viscometers is given by: k = v/dt, where v is the known viscosity (mPa•s) of the oil used for viscometer calibration; d is the density (g/ml) of the liquid tested at 20°/20°; and t (seconds) is the efflux time. Procedure Weigh a quantity of undried sample equivalent to 6.00 g on the dried basis. Into a tared 250-ml flask containing a magnetic stir bar and approximately 140 ml of water, quickly (seconds) transfer the sample, while simultaneously stirring slowly and continuously. Once the sample appears thoroughly saturated, slowly increase the stirring rate to minimize the entrainment of air in the mixture. Heat the mixture to 90°, and maintain it at this temperature for approximately 5 minutes; discontinue heating and continue stirring for 1 hour. Add water in small amounts to attain a total mixture weight of 150 g, and resume stirring until the mixture appears homogenous. Filter the mixture through a tared 100-mesh screen into a 250 ml conical flask, cool the filtrate to about 15°, mix, and determine its viscosity at 20° using an appropriate viscometer (follow the manufacturer’s instructions). NOTE: The temperature at which the viscosity measurement is made must be strictly controlled. For measurements using capillary-typ e viscometers, the viscosity is given by: v = kdt where t is the efflux time for the sample solution and d is its density at 20°. Appendix POLYVINYL ALCOHOL

FAO JECFA Monograph 4 (2007)

Every name it appears under

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

E number

E1203

INS number

1203

CAS registry number

9002-89-5

As it appears in regulation

Polyvinyl alcohol
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
PVA

Other names

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

Hazard reference values

Values set by assessing bodies. A body that has not set a value is not listed here.
Type	Value	Population	Assessed by	Opinion
ADI	50 mg/kg bw/day	—	JECFA	2003

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 1203?: E 1203 is Polyvinyl alcohol. Polyvinyl alcohol is a film former used to coat supplements and some confectionery, and as the material of dissolvable pouches.
What is Polyvinyl alcohol used for in food?: It is listed as a thickener, a glazing agent and a solvent — the role Codex and the US assign it. This page shows every function each regulator records, with the citation for each.
Where is Polyvinyl alcohol permitted?: Of the seven regulators this site reads, the EU, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea 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 Polyvinyl alcohol vegan?: Yes. Polyvinyl alcohol is not derived from animals, and is suitable for vegetarians. This page says what it is made from and how.

Sources for this page

eu retrieved 2026-10-18
gb retrieved 2026-10-18
jp retrieved 2026-10-18
kr retrieved 2026-10-18
gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07
euspecs retrieved 2026-10-18
jecfaspecs retrieved 2026-09-23

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