Polyethylene glycol (E1521)
- Food Fine
What is Polyethylene glycol (E1521)?
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in small amounts to coat tablets and supplements and to carry flavours. At food levels it stays within safe limits; laxatives use doses hundreds of times higher. It's fine for most people, but if you have a confirmed PEG allergy, rare allergic reactions are possible.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Polyethylene glycol?
Yasno’s verdict on Polyethylene glycol: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts.
Is Polyethylene glycol allowed in the EU?
EU status of Polyethylene glycol: Permitted as a food additive. Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Permitted as a food additive | Not recorded |
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-3332, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2011
- EFSA’s 2018 exposure assessment of polyethylene glycol (E 1521), European Food Safety Authority, 2018
- EFSA review of oral and non-oral studies on polyethylene glycols, European Food Safety Authority, 2025
- Immediate hypersensitivity to polyethylene glycols and polysorbates, PubMed, 2016
Always check the physical label. Yasno describes evidence and regulatory status. It never says a product is free of an allergen or safe for you, and it is not medical advice.
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