Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer

E number E1209INS 1209CAS 96734-39-3

Listed as a stabiliser and a glazing agent by Codex.

Listed as stabilisers (Codex) · glazing and surface-finishing agents (Codex)

Codex Alimentarius: Stabilizer — CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1209
Codex Alimentarius: Glazing agent — CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1209

This graft copolymer is a film coating for supplements and tablets, giving a flexible moisture barrier that does not crack.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer 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 100,000 mg/kg ML = 100000 mg/kg. except food supplements in chewable 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 100,000 mg/kg or mg/l ML = 100000. except food supplements in chewable form.	Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024)retrieved 2026-10-18
JapanConsumer Affairs Agency	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 KoreaMinistry of Food and Drug Safety	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 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 Note 417 For use in capsule and tablet form.	CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 1209, 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	100,000 mg/kg	1 numeric limit
Great Britain	100,000 mg/kg	1 numeric limit
Codex Alimentarius	—	1 no quantity stated

What it is made from

Produced by grafting polyvinyl alcohol chains onto polyethylene glycol.

Vegan
Vegetarian

Compare other additives on the dietary indexes.

CAS registry number: 96734-39-3

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 %	—
Sulphated ash	no more than 2 %	—
Lead	no more than 1 mg/kg	no more than 1 mg/kg
Arsenic	no more than 3 mg/kg	—
Mercury	no more than 1 mg/kg	—
Cadmium	no more than 1 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 1209 Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft-copolymer

Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft-co-polymer is a synthetic co-polymer that consists of approximately 75 % PVA units and 25 % PEG units.

Synonyms: Macrogol poly(vinyl alcohol) grafted co-polymer; poly(ethan-1,2-diol-graft-ethanol); ethenol, polymer with oxirane, graft; oxirane, polymer with ethanol, graft; ethylene oxide-vinyl alcohol graft co-polymer

Assay, identification and purity criteria

Description and assay

CAS number: 96734-39-3
Chemical name: Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft-co-polymer
Weight Average Molecular Weight: 40 000 to 50 000 g/mol
Description: White to faintly yellow powder

Identification

Solubility: Freely soluble in water and dilute acids and dilute solutions of alkali hydroxides; practically insoluble in ethanol, acetic acid, acetone, and chloroform
IR Spectrum: Must comply
pH value: 5,0-8,0

Purity criteria

Ester Value: 10 to 75 mg/g KOH
Dynamic viscosity: 50 to 250 mPa·s
Loss on drying: Not more than 5 %
Sulphated Ash: Not more than 2 %
Vinyl Acetate: Not more than 20 mg/kg
Acetic acid/Total Acetate: Not more than 1,5 %
Ethylene glycols (mono- and di-): Not more than 400 mg/kg (singly or in combination)
1,4-Dioxane: Not more than 10 mg/kg
Arsenic: Not more than 3 mg/kg
Lead: Not more than 1 mg/kg
Mercury: Not more than 1 mg/kg
Cadmium: Not more than 1 mg/kg

Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012, Annex, E 1209

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 1209 Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)-Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Graft Co-polymer

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft co-polymer is a graft copolymer of ethylene glycol and vinyl alcohol consisting of approximately 75% vinyl alcohol units and 25% ethylene glycol units. The copolymer is produced by grafting polyvinyl acetate onto a backbone of polyethylene glycol followed by hydrolysis of the polyvinyl acetate side chains to form polyvinyl alcohol grafted side chains. The copolymer may contain colloidal silica at levels of 0.3 to 0.5% to improve flow properties.

Synonyms: Macrogol poly(vinyl alcohol) grafted co-polymer; Ethylene glycol and vinyl alcohol graft copolymer; INS No. 1209

Assay, identification and purity criteria

Description and assay

Specification history: POLYVINYL ALCOHOL (PVA)-POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) GRAFT CO-POLYMER New specifications prepared at the 80th JECFA, and published in th FAO JECFA Monographs 17 (2015). The 80 JECFA (2015) considered the additive to be of no safety concern for use in food supplements for the functional uses listed.
Chemical names: Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft-co-polymer; Poly(ethylene glycol)-graft-poly(vinyl alcohol)
C.A.S number: 96734-39-3, 121786-16-1
Molecular weight: 40,000 to 50,000 Daltons (weight-average)
DESCRIPTION: White to pale yellow powder
FUNCTIONAL USES: Glazing agent, binder for tablets, stabilizer

Identification

Solubility (Vol. 4): Freely soluble in water, dilute acids, and dilute solutions of alkali hydroxides; practically insoluble in ethanol, acetic acid, and acetone.
pH (Vol. 4): 5.0 to 8.0 (20% soln)
Infrared spectrum (Vol. 4): Dissolve 0.2 g in 20 ml of water, spread a few drops of the solution on a thallium bromoiodide plate and evaporate the solvent at 110° for 30 min. The infrared absorption spectrum of the sample corresponds to that of the reference spectrum in Appendix.
Film formation: Dissolve 0.4 g in 2 ml of water. Place 1 ml of the solution on a glass plate and allow to dry. A transparent film is formed.
Viscosity – Rotational method: Less than 250 mPa·s Determine using a 20% solution (m/m), use a viscometer at 25° with a Brookfield RV2 spindle, and a rotation speed of 100 rpm.

Purity criteria

Loss on drying (Vol. 4) Sulfated ash (Vol. 4): Not more than 5%. (1.0 g sample, vacuum (<20 mmHg) at 140°, 1 h) Not more than 2% (5 g, 650°)
Ester value: Not less than 10 and not more than 75 mg KOH/g See description under TESTS
Vinyl acetate: Not more than 20 mg/kg See description under TESTS
Acetate: Not more than 1.5% See description under TESTS
1,4-Dioxane: Not more than 10 mg/kg See description under TESTS
Ethylene oxide: Not more than 0.2 mg/kg See description under TESTS
Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol: Not more than 400 mg/kg (singly or in combination) See description under TESTS
Lead (Vol. 4): Not more than 1 mg/kg Determine using an AAS (Electrothermal atomization 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 Volume 4 (under “General Methods, Metallic Impurities”).
Test: Ester value: Determine the acid value (IA) as follows. Dissolve 5.00 g of sample in 100 ml of distilled water while stirring with a magnetic stirrer. Titrate with 0.01 M alcoholic potassium hydroxide, determining the end-point potentiometrically. Carry out a blank determination under the same conditions. 0.561(n1 − n2) IA = m Where n1 is the volume of titrant used in the test, ml n2 is the volume of titrant used in the blank, ml m is the mass of the sample, g Determine the saponification value (IS) as follows. Place 5.00 g of sample in a 250 ml borosilicate glass flask fitted with a reflux condenser. Add 50.0 ml of 0.5 M alcoholic potassium hydroxide and stir vigorously with a magnetic stirrer. Attach the condenser and heat under reflux for 30 min. Add 1 ml of phenolphthalein solution (0.1% (w/w) Phenolphthalein in ethanol) and titrate the excess potassium hydroxide immediately (while still hot) with 0.5 M hydrochloric acid. Carry out a blank determination under the same conditions. 28.05(n1 − n2) IS = m Where n1 is the volume of titrant used in the test, ml n2 is the volume of titrant used in the blank, ml m is the mass of the sample, g The ester value (IE) is calculated from the saponification value (IS) and the acid value (IA): IE = IS − IA
Test: Vinyl Acetate: Principle Determine by liquid chromatography using 1-vinylpyrrolidine-2-one as an internal standard. Equipment High performance liquid chromatograph equipped with gradient valve and UV detector Column: Size: 4.6 mm x 25 cm Stationary phase: end-capped octadecylsilyl silica gel for chromatography with embedded polar groups (5 μm) Column temperature: 30 ° A precolumn containing octadecylsilyl silica gel for chromatography (5 μm) may be used if a matrix effect is observed. Reagents Vinyl acetate (99.9% purity, Fluka Part No. 46060, or equiv.) 1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one (>99%, Sigma-Aldrich Part No. V3409, or equiv.) Acetonitrile, methanol and deionized water (HPLC grade) Procedure Preparation of internal standard solution: Accurately weigh about 5 mg of 1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one, add 10 ml of methanol and dilute to 50 ml with water in a volumetric flask. Preparation of standard solution Accurately weigh about 5.0 mg of vinyl acetate, quantitatively transfer into a 50 ml volumetric flask using 5 ml methanol, add 10 ml of internal standard solution and dilute to volume with water. Preparation of sample solution Accurately weigh about 250 mg of sample, transfer to a 10-ml volumetric flask with about 2 ml of methanol, and ultrasonicate, if necessary. After cooling to ambient temperature, dilute with water to volume, and mix. Pass through a 0.2-micron filter. Mobile phase Mobile phase A: acetonitrile, methanol, water (5:5:90 V/V/V); Mobile phase B: methanol, acetonitrile, water (5:45:50 V/V/V); Time (min) Solution A (% v/v) Solution B (% v/v) 0-2 100 0 2-40 100 → 85 0 → 15 40-42 85 → 0 15 → 100 Flow rate: 1.0 ml/min Detection: 205 nm Injection: 10 μl Retention time: Vinyl acetate = about 19 min; 1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one = about 25 min. System suitability Resolution of about 5.0 between the peaks of vinyl acetate and 1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one shall be obtained. Analysis Analyze standard solution and calculate the peak ratio between vinyl acetate and 1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one peaks. Analyze the sample solution and calculate the peak area ratio between vinyl acetate and 1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one peaks in the sample solution. Obtain the concentration of vinyl acetate in the sample from the peak area ratios of sample & internal standard, standard & internal standard, concentration of standard, and weight of sample.
Test: Acetate: Principle Determine by liquid chromatography using citric acid (internal standard). Equipment High performance liquid chromatograph equipped with gradient valve and UV detector; Column: Size: 4.6 mm x 25 cm Stationary phase: end-capped octadecylsilyl silica gel for chromatography with embedded polar groups (5 μm) Column temperature: ambient A precolumn containing octadecylsilyl silica gel for chromatography (5 μm) may be used if a matrix effect is observed. Reagents Acetic acid standard (>99%) Citric acid standard (>99%) Deionized water (HPLC grade) Procedure Mobile phase 0.50 g/l solution of sulfuric acid Preparation of internal standard solution Accurately weigh about 30 mg of citric acid and dilute to 100 ml with mobile phase in a volumetric flask. Preparation of standard solution Accurately weigh about 30 mg of acetic acid, add 10 ml of internal standard solution and dilute to 50 ml in a volumetric flask with mobile phase. Preparation of system suitability solution Accurately weigh about 30 mg of citric acid, 30 mg of acetic acid, and dilute to 50 ml in a volumetric flask with mobile phase. Preparation of sample solution Accurately weigh about 200 mg of sample, add 2 ml internal standard solution and make up to 10 ml in a volumetric flask with mobile phase. Pass through a 0.2-micron filter. Analysis Chromatographic conditions Flow rate: 1 ml/min Detector: UV 205 nm Injection: 20 μl Retention time: acetate = about 5 min; citrate = about 7 min. After each injection, rinse column with mixtures of equal volumes of acetonitrile and mobile phase. System suitability Resolution of about 2.0 between the peaks of acetate and citrate shall be obtained. Inject standard solution and calculate the peak area ratio between acetate and citrate peaks. Inject sample solution and calculate the peak area ratio between acetate and citrate peaks in the sample solution. Obtain the concentration of acetate in the sample from the peak area ratios of sample & internal standard, standard & internal standard, concentration of standard, and weight of sample.
Test: Ethylene oxide: Principle Determine by dynamic headspace (purge & trap) gas chromatography using acetaldehyde as internal standard Equipment Gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector and suitable purge & trap system; Detector temperature: 250° Column: 0.32-mm × 30-m fused silica capillary column; 1.0-μm layer of dimethylpolysiloxane (e.g., DB-1 from J&W Scientific) [ Caution— Ethylene oxide is toxic and flammable. Prepare these solutions in a well-ventilated fume hood, using great care. Protect both hands and face by wearing polyethylene protective gloves and an appropriate face mask. Store all solutions in hermetic containers, and refrigerate at a temperature between 4° and 8°. ] Reagents Ethylene oxide (99.8% purity, Messer Griesheim Part No. 1284, or equiv.) Acetaldedhyde (99.9%, Fluka Part No. 00070, or equiv.) Polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG 200, Fluka Part no. 81150 with a specific gravity of 1.127 g/cm 3 or equiv.) Deionized water (HPLC grade) Defoamer (Agitan 281, Münzing Chemie GmbH, Heilbronn) Procedure Preparation of ethylene oxide standard stock solution Add about 25 ml of PEG 200 into a 50 ml volumetric flask and accurately weigh the flask. Pass about 100 mg of gaseous ethylene oxide through polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG 200) and weigh. Calculate the mass of ethylene oxide absorbed by PEG 200 from the difference in weight. Dilute to volume with PEG 200 and weigh the flask. Calculate the amount of ethylene oxide per gram of solution (approximately 1.8 mg/g) Preparation of ethylene oxide working standard solution-1 Add about 25 ml of PEG 200 into a 50 ml volumetric flask and weigh the flask. Add about 1 g of ethylene oxide stock solution to the volumetric flask and weigh. Dilute to volume with PEG 200. Calculate the concentration of ethylene oxide in the working standard solution from the weight (approximately 32 μg/g). Preparation of ethylene oxide working standard solution-2 Add about 25 ml of PEG 200 into a 50 ml volumetric flask and weigh the flask. Add about 1 g of ethylene oxide working standard solution 1 to the volumetric flask and weigh. Dilute to volume with PEG 200. Calculate the concentration of ethylene oxide in the working standard solution from the weight (approximately 0.57 μg/g). Preparation of acetaldehyde internal standard solution Accurately weigh about 40 mg of acetaldehyde (to the nearest 0.1 mg), dissolve in water and dilute to 100 ml with water. Pipet 5 ml into a 50 ml volumetric flask and dilute to volume with water (approximately 40 μg/ml). Preparation of sample solution Accurately weigh about 0.5 g sample into a headspace vial containing 4.0 ml water and add 50 μl of defoamer. Add 1 ml of internal standard solution. Seal the vial and mix thoroughly. System suitability test solution Add 1 ml of the acetaldehyde solution and 0.1 ml of the ethylene oxide working solution in a headspace vial and add 4 ml of water. Seal the vial and mix thoroughly. Blank solution Add 50 μl defoaming agent to 1.0 ml of internal standard solution, and 4 ml of water and seal the vial. Standard solution Accurately weigh 0.1 g of ethylene oxide working standard solution (approximately 0.057 μg ethylene oxide), add 1.0 ml of internal standard, 4.0 ml water and add 50 μl of defoamer. Seal the vial and mix thoroughly. Procedure Chromatographic conditions Column temperature: See the temperature program table below. Initial tempe- Temperature Final tempe- Hold time at rature ramp rature final tempe-(°) (°/min) (°) rature (min) 50 - 50 5 50 5 180 - 180 30 230 5 Carrier gas: Helium Column head pressure: 0.8 ml/min Injection type: Splitless mode Injection port temperature: 250° Dynamic Headspace autosampler Follow manufacturer’s recommended conditions Analysis Run blank solution. Ethylene oxide peak shall be either absent or below limit of detection. Run system suitability standard solution. System suitability Retention time: acetaldehyde = about 5.8 min; ethylene oxide = about 6.2 min. Resolution: Not less than 1.5 between acetaldehyde and ethylene oxide Signal-to-noise: Not less than 10 determined from the ethylene oxide peak Analyze standard solution and calculate the peak ratio between ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde peaks. Analyze the sample solution and calculate the peak area ratio between ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde peaks in sample solution. Obtain the concentration of ethylene oxide in the sample from the peak area ratios of sample & internal standard and standard & internal standard, amount of standard and weight of sample taken in the headspace vial.
Test: 1,4-Dioxane: [Caution: 1,4-dioxane is used as a solvent in the method for the deter-mination of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. Take the necessary precautions to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur.] Principle Determine by headspace gas chromatography as directed in Residual Solvents by Headspace Gas Chromatography (Vol. 4) using the following: Reagents 1, 4 dioxane (99.8% Sigma Aldrich Part No. 296309, or equiv.) Deionized water (HPLC grade) N , N -dimethylacetamide (≥99.9% Fluka Part No. 44901, or equiv.) Defoamer (Agitan 281, Münzing Chemie GmbH, Heilbronn) Preparation of stock standard solution (500 ug/ml): Accurately weigh about 25 mg of 1,4-Dioxane into a 50 ml volumetric flask and make up to volume with water. Preparation of working standard solution (50 ug/ml): Pipet 5 ml stock standard solution into a 50 ml volumetric flask and make up to volume with water. System suitability standard Accurately weigh 0.5 g of sample to a 10-ml pressure headspace vial. Add 1.0 ml of Working standard solution and 1.0 ml of N , N - dimethylacetamide, seal the vial, and mix. Inject 1 ml. Standard in headspace vial Pipet 1.0 ml of 1,4-Dioxane working standard solution into a 10 ml headspace vial and add 1.0 ml of N , N -dimethylacetamide, seal the vial, and mix. Inject 1 ml. Sample in headspace vial Accurately weigh 0.5 g of sample to a 10-ml pressure headspace vial. Add 1.0 ml of N , N -dimethylacetamide and 1.0 ml of water, seal the vial, and mix. Inject 1 ml. System suitability Run system suitability standard. The signal-to-noise shall not be less than 5 determined from the 1,4-Dioxane peak, and the relative standard deviation is not more than 15% (6 analyses). Calculation Analyze the standard and sample solutions using the analytical conditions for Residual Solvents by Headspace Gas Chromatography as described in Vol. 4. Calculate the concentration of 1,4-Dioxane in the sample from the peak areas of standard, sample, and amount of standard and sample in the headspace vials.
Test: Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol: Principle Determine by gas chromatography after derivatization with N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA), and following the standard addition method. Equipment Capillary gas chromatograph with autosampler, split injector and flame ionization detector (FID) Fused silica capillary column (0.25-mm × 30-m) coated with 0.25 μm layer of 14% cyanopropylphenyl-86%-dimethylpolysiloxane, (DB-1701, J&W Scientific, or equiv.) Reagents 1,4- Dioxane (Purity 99.0 %, minimum J.T. Baker, part. no. 9231, or equiv.) Ethylene glycol (EG) (Purity 99.5%, e.g. Fluka, part. no. 03750, or equiv.) Propylene glycol (PG) (Purity >99.5% (GC), e.g. ABCR, part. no. AB207089, or equiv.) Diethylene glycol (DEG) (Purity 99.9%, Sigma-Aldrich, part. no. 03128, or equiv.) N-Methyl-N-trimethylsilyl trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA) (Macherey & Nagel part. no. 701270.1100, or equiv.) Procedure [The method described involves the handling of hazardous substances. Attention is drawn to the handling of potentially dangerous materials] Preparation of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol standard solution Accurately weigh about 50 mg each of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in a 25 ml volumetric flask and make to volume with 1,4-dioxane. Pipette 1 ml of solution into a 10 ml volumetric flask and make to volume with 1,4-dioxane. This yields a standard solution containing 0.2 mg/ml of ethylene glycol and 0.2 mg/ml diethylene glycol. Preparation of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol standard solution Accurately weigh about 100 mg each of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol in a 25 ml volumetric flask and make to volume with 1,4-dioxane. Pipette 1 ml of solution into a 10 ml volumetric flask and make to volume with 1,4-dioxane. This yields a standard solution containing 0.4 mg/ml of ethylene glycol and 0.4 mg/ml propylene glycol. Preparation of stock sample solution Accurately weigh about 500 mg of sample to the nearest 0.01 mg into a 10 ml volumetric flask, dissolve in 1,4-dioxane and make to volume. Preparation of sample solution Pipette 1 ml of stock sample solution into a reaction vial, add 1 ml of 1,4-dioxane, 2 ml of MSTFA and derivatize at 90° for 1 h. Inject and analyze 2 μl of the solution to determine an approximate amount of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol present in the sample. Preparation of system suitability solution A Pipette 1 ml of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol standard solution into a reaction vial, add 1 ml of 1,4-dioxane, 2 ml of MSTFA and derivatize at 90° for 1 h. Preparation of system suitability solution B Pipette 2 ml of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol standard solution into a reaction vial, add 2 ml of MSTFA and derivatize at 90° for 1 h. Preparation of standard addition solutions Pipette 0.2 ml, 0.3 ml, 0.4 ml, 0.5 ml and 0.6 ml of the ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol standard solution, respectively, into five separate reaction vials. Pipette 1 ml of stock sample solution into each reaction vial. Add 2 ml of MSTFA, and enough 1,4-dioxane to give a total volume of 4 ml in each reaction vial. Derivitize all solutions at 90° for 1 h. Chromatographic system Column temperature: See the temperature program table below. Initial Tempera- Final tempe- Hold time at temperature ture ramp rature final tem-(°) (°/min) (°) perature (min) 100 - 100 5 100 5 125 - 125 30 300 5 300 - 300 15 Injector temperature: 300° Detector temperature: 300° Carrier gas: Helium Column inlet pressure: 8.7 psi Split: 10 ml/min (adapted to the sensitivity of the system as necessary) Septum purge: 3 ml/min Injection volume: 2 μl Ethylene glycol has a retention time of approximately 5.6 min Propylene glycol has a retention time of approximately 5.8 min Diethylene glycol has a retention time of approximately 11.9 min System suitability Run Standard solution A. The system is suitable with a signal to noise ratio less than or equal to 10 for the signals of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol Run Standard solution B. The resolution shall not be less than 1.5 between the peaks of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. Analysis Inject the derivatized standard addition solutions. Construct the standard curves by plotting the spiked mass (μg) of ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol on the x-axis versus the respective peak area on the y-axis, Deduce the amount of ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol in the sample (in the vial) from the x-intercept of the standard curve. Calculate the concentration in the sample from the amount of ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol determined from the standard curve, and the mass of sample in the vial.
Test: Analytical methods for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft co-polymer (INS 1209) were partially adapted from methods published by the United States Pharmacopoeia and the European Pharmacopoeia. The generous acknowledged and thanked for.: permission by EDQM and the USP Convention to refer to them is

FAO JECFA Monograph 17 (2015)

Every name it appears under

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

E number

E1209

INS number

1209

CAS registry number

96734-39-3

As it appears in regulation

Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft co-polymer

Other names

E 1209
POLYVINYL ALCOHOL (PVA) – POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) GRAFT COPOLYMER
Polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol-graft-co-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 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 1209?: E 1209 is Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer. This graft copolymer is a film coating for supplements and tablets, giving a flexible moisture barrier that does not crack.
What is Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer used for in food?: It is listed as a stabiliser and a glazing agent — the role Codex assigns it. This page shows every function each regulator records, with the citation for each.
Where is Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer permitted?: Of the seven regulators this site reads, 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 Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer vegan?: Yes. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – Polyethylene glycol (PEG) graft copolymer 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
gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07
euspecs retrieved 2026-10-18
jecfaspecs retrieved 2026-09-23

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