Dimethyl dicarbonate (E242)
- Food Fine
What is Dimethyl dicarbonate (E242)?
Dimethyl dicarbonate (E242) kills yeasts and bacteria in drinks such as juices and wines, then breaks down within hours. What remains are tiny traces, far below any level linked to harm. It's fine at normal amounts.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Dimethyl dicarbonate?
Yasno’s verdict on Dimethyl dicarbonate: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts.
Is Dimethyl dicarbonate allowed in the EU?
EU status of Dimethyl dicarbonate: 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 | Regulated as a food additive by the US FDA |
What else is it called?
- Velcorin
- Dimethyl pyrocarbonate
- Dicarbonic acid, dimethyl ester
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-3055, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2024
- Re-evaluation of dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC, E 242) as a food additive, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2015
- 2024 mechanistic rat study of methyl carbamate, Toxicological Sciences, 2024
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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