L-cysteine (E920)
- Food Fine
What is L-cysteine (E920)?
L-cysteine (E920) is an amino acid used to soften dough in bread and biscuits. The small amounts in food are not a concern. It's fine; nausea or light-headedness have only been seen after doses of a gram or more, far above food levels.
What is Yasno’s verdict on L-cysteine?
Yasno’s verdict on L-cysteine: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts.
Is L-cysteine allowed in the EU?
EU status of L-cysteine: 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?
- cysteine
- Cystein
- (R)-2-Amino-3-mercaptopropanoic acid
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-3281, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2011
- RIVM report 2024-0086, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 2024
- EFSA assessment of L-cysteine as a flour-treatment agent in infant and young-child biscuits, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2006
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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