Zinc oxide

No E-numberVitamins & mineralsOrigin: Mineral

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Every diet

VeganYes

It is a mineral powder, not an animal product.

Gluten-freeYes

HalalYes

KosherYes

KetoYes

No carbohydrate.

Low-FODMAPYes

The short answer

Zinc oxide is a mineral powder that adds zinc to cereals, plant drinks and formula. It is safe in normal food amounts, but too much for weeks leaves you short of copper, so EFSA caps it at 25 mg a day for adults.

74/100

Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone

Comes fromMineral

What it doesVitamins & minerals

Glycemic index—

Daily limitNot set

Also calledZinc oxide, Zinc (as oxide)

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved

🇪🇺 European UnionApproved with limits

🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved

CaliforniaNo extra rules

Zinc oxide has no E-number: it is a nutrient source rather than an additive. The United States permits it for fortification in specified foods, and the EU authorises it as an added nutrient with its own limits on the amounts. EFSA set an upper level of 25 mg of zinc a day for adults, because long use at that level drains copper from the body.

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

What is it?

Zinc oxide is a white powder that is about four fifths zinc by weight, and it is used as the fortificant because it is cheap, stable and easy to sprinkle into dry foods. A typical fortified cereal gives a few milligrams of zinc per serving. Zinc is needed for skin, wound healing, immunity and taste, and it works differently from iron: it is one of the few minerals the body has no easy way to store.

Where it comes from: Zinc oxide is a white mineral powder made from zinc metal, zinc ore or from heating zinc carbonate. As a food ingredient it is the zinc fortificant in breakfast cereals, plant drinks and infant formula, and it is also the zinc in most supplement tablets.

Why it’s in food

Fortifies breakfast cereals
Adds zinc to plant drinks
Supplies zinc in infant formula
Fills the zinc gap in supplements

Often found in

Breakfast cerealsFortified plant drinksInfant formulaNutrition barsMeal replacement shakes

Also listed as: Zinc oxide, Zinc (as oxide), Zinc oxide (nutrient), Zinc oxide active, Zinc oxide (as zinc)

Health & gut impact

Daily zinc needsBenefit

EFSA set a reference intake for zinc that depends on how much phytate the diet carries, from 9.4 to 16.3 mg a day for adult men and 7.5 to 12.7 mg for women, and a fortified cereal serving can supply a good part of the lower end. Zinc is easy to fall short on in diets with little meat or dairy.

EFSA, dietary reference values for zinc

Copper depletionUnder study

EFSA set the upper level of 25 mg a day after weighing evidence that zinc at higher intakes blocks copper absorption. Left unchecked, that combination can lead to anaemia and nerve problems, and it is why high-dose zinc is not a casual supplement.

EFSA Journal, scientific opinion on zinc

Plant foods and absorptionUnder study

Phytate in whole grains, legumes and seeds binds zinc in the gut, so the same amount of zinc delivers less from a plant-based meal than from meat. It is one reason plant-based diets need a reliable source of zinc.

EFSA, dietary reference values for zinc

What can I use instead?

Zinc gluconate

Ratio: A similar zinc dose in a form that dissolves in water

Best for: Lozenges and drops

Oysters and pumpkin seeds

Ratio: Oysters carry the most zinc per serving, seeds a milligram or so

Best for: Getting zinc from food

Fortified oat drink

Ratio: Match the volume of the drink you usually have

Best for: A daily zinc top-up

More vitamins & minerals:

CholineCholine is a nutrient most people get enough of from eggs, meat and soy, so it is rarely something to hunt down. It is added on purpose to infant formula, where the amount is regulated, and EFSA sets 400 mg a day for adults.Use in moderation Ferrous sulfateFerrous sulfate is the iron added to flour, bread and cereals, and it is safe at fortification amounts. The catch is the dose: a large single serving upsets the stomach, so read the milligram amount on the label, not the product count.Use in moderation Folic acid (Vitamin B9)Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9, and it is added to flour, bread and breakfast cereals on purpose. It is safe at fortification levels, but EFSA caps it at 0.6 mg a day for adults because a large intake can hide a vitamin B12 deficiency.Use in moderation Niacin (Vitamin B3)Niacin is vitamin B3 in the nicotinic acid form, added to flour and cereals because many diets fall short of it. Fortification amounts are small and safe, but a 100 mg supplement is a bigger dose, and that much nicotinic acid makes many people flush.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is the zinc oxide in sunscreen the same thing?

It is the same white powder, but the doses and the rules are completely different. In food it is a nutrient added in small amounts, while in sunscreen it is a UV filter put on the skin in much larger amounts.

Can you take too much zinc?

Yes, and it is one of the few supplements where that happens easily. EFSA set an upper level of 25 mg a day for adults because sustained high intakes push copper out of the body and can cause anaemia and nerve trouble.

Do plant milks have as much zinc as cow's milk?

Not unless they are fortified. Cow's milk carries close to 4 mg of zinc per cup, while most plant drinks are unfortified and sit near zero, so read the label if zinc is why you are drinking them.

Is Zinc oxide safe?

Use in moderation (74/100). Zinc oxide has no E-number: it is a nutrient source rather than an additive. The United States permits it for fortification in specified foods, and the EU authorises it as an added nutrient with its own limits on the amounts. EFSA set an upper level of 25 mg of zinc a day for adults, because long use at that level drains copper from the body.

Is Zinc oxide vegan?

Yes. It is a mineral powder, not an animal product.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations

EFSA, dietary reference values for zinc
EFSA Journal, scientific opinion on zinc

CAS 1314-13-2