Ethyl cellulose

Ethyl cellulose is a cellulose ether in which some hydroxyl groups of cellulose have been replaced with ethyl groups. It is water-insoluble but soluble in organic solvents, giving it unique film-forming and coating properties. In food it is used primarily as a binder, coating agent, and controlled-release matrix in confectionery, nutritional supplements, and certain tablet-format food products. It can also function as a fat replacer at low concentrations.

JECFA's ADI is "not specified," evaluated in 1975. Ethyl cellulose is biologically inert and is not absorbed or metabolised in the human body. It passes through the gastrointestinal tract unchanged and exits in faeces. No adverse effects have been identified at any realistic dietary dose. Its complete non-absorbability underpins the "not specified" classification.

Ethyl cellulose is approved in the EU and most global markets. It is primarily used as an encapsulation and coating material in confectionery and nutritional products rather than as a bulk food ingredient. For the general population there are no safety concerns. It contributes no calories, is not a source of any allergen, and its chemically inert nature means it has no metabolic impact whatsoever.