Candelilla wax

Candelilla wax is a vegetable wax derived from the aerial parts of the shrub Euphorbia cerifera and related species native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The wax coats the plant surface as protection against water loss in arid environments. As a food additive (E902), it is used as a glazing agent on confectionery, chewing gum, and fresh produce, valued as a plant-based alternative to beeswax (E901) and shellac (E904).

JECFA evaluated candelilla wax in 1965 and did not establish a numerical ADI, classifying it as not specified. Like beeswax, it is chemically inert at food-use concentrations and is not absorbed to any meaningful extent from the gastrointestinal tract; it functions purely as a surface-protective coating.

Candelilla wax is approved in the EU (E902), the United States (GRAS), and most international markets. It is widely used in vegan-certified confectionery and cosmetic products as it is entirely plant-derived. Consumers will encounter it primarily on the surface of hard confectionery and chewing gum. There are no known adverse effects at food-use concentrations for any population group.