My diet:

E422 Glycerin (Glycerol)

E422SweetenersOrigin: Plant
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Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganYes

The routes EFSA describes start from vegetable oil or from propene. Both are vegan.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoDepends

FDA lists it as a nutritive sweetener, so it has calories. If glycerin is near the top of the ingredient list, count it. A trace in a glaze is a much smaller dose.

Full answer ›
Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Glycerin (E422) keeps bars, cakes and gum soft, and it still has calories. It's allowed, and EFSA sees no safety concern at normal use, but a "keto" bar can still be full of it.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberE422
Comes fromPlant
What it doesSweeteners
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledGlycerin, Glycerine

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved
CaliforniaNo extra rules

GRAS in the US. EFSA re-checked glycerol in 2017, saw no safety concern at reported uses, and kept JECFA's 1976 finding that no numerical daily limit is needed. Health Canada allows it at good manufacturing practice, including as a humectant in unstandardized foods.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Glycerin, also called glycerol, is a clear syrup. Food makers use it because it holds water, so chewy foods stay soft, and because it tastes mildly sweet.

Where it comes from: EFSA says food glycerin is mainly split from fats and oils, and industry described a vegetable-oil process. A separate route builds it from propene, a petroleum gas.

Why it’s in food

  • Holds moisture in energy bars, cakes and chewing gum
  • Adds mild sweetness, with calories
  • Softens the texture of sweets and baked goods
  • Keeps sausage casings and some cured meats from drying out

Often found in

Chewing gumSnack and energy barsCakes and pastriesCookiesFlavored drinksSausage casings

Also listed as: Glycerin, Glycerine, Glycerol, Vegetable glycerin, Vegetable glycerine

Health & gut impact

Safety reviewBenefit

EFSA found no safety concern at the uses reported by industry and saw no need for a numerical daily limit. JECFA had reached the same conclusion in 1976.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2017); JECFA (1976)

Large servingsUnder study

Big single doses can pull water into the gut. EFSA noted that infants and toddlers could reach a dose used as a medicine from less than one 330 mL can of a flavored drink.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2017)

What can I use instead?

Allulose

Ratio: To taste

Best for: Sweetness in soft bars with fewer calories

Sorbitol

Ratio: To taste

Best for: Keeping sugar-free candy soft

Related

Is it keto-friendly?

More sweeteners:

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) E950Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, E950) is a zero-calorie sweetener approved in the US, EU and Canada. EFSA re-checked it in 2025 and raised its daily limit. It's usually paired with sucralose or aspartame to hide a slightly bitter aftertaste.Use in moderationAlluloseAllulose is a "rare sugar" that tastes like sugar but has almost no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar. It's keto-friendly and browns like real sugar in baking.Generally safeAspartame E951Aspartame (E951) is a zero-calorie sweetener in diet soda. It's approved, but WHO's cancer agency called it "possibly carcinogenic" in 2023, and people with PKU must avoid it.Use in moderationErythritol E968Erythritol (E968) is a zero-calorie sugar alcohol popular in keto foods. A 2023 study linked high blood levels to heart risk, and large amounts can upset your stomach.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is Glycerin safe?

Generally safe (90/100). GRAS in the US. EFSA re-checked glycerol in 2017, saw no safety concern at reported uses, and kept JECFA's 1976 finding that no numerical daily limit is needed. Health Canada allows it at good manufacturing practice, including as a humectant in unstandardized foods.

Is Glycerin vegan?

Yes. The routes EFSA describes start from vegetable oil or from propene. Both are vegan.

Is Glycerin gluten-free?

Yes.

Is vegetable glycerin different from glycerin?

It's the same ingredient, made from vegetable oil. The word vegetable tells you the source. It still has calories.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • 21 CFR 182.1320 (US FDA)
  • EFSA OpenFoodTox: E422
  • EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2017); JECFA (1976)
  • EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2017)

Last checked against FDA, EFSA and Health Canada records: November 2, 2026 · INS 422 · CAS 56-81-5