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Pectin

E440 · CAS 9005-88-3 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 5 other CAS numbers

9046-41-7 · 9047-18-1 · 220424-61-3 · 503591-24-0 · 9000-69-5

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Pectin in plain language

What it is

Also known as Pectins · Apple pectin · Citrus pectin · Citrus pectin extract · Pectins(amidated and non-amidated) · Apple pectin extract

Show all 18 names

Beta-Pectin · Cesapectin · Classic AF 501 · Classic AM 201 · Colyer pectin · D-D Slowset · E-440 · Genu Beta Pectin · Genu JMJ 100 · Ins NO.440 · INS-440 · Malus pumila pectin

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a binder, an emulsion stabiliser and a thickener.

  • Binding
  • Emulsion stabilising
  • Viscosity controlling
  • Thickener, emulsifier, gelling agent, stabilizer
  • Emulsifier
  • Thickener
Is it a concern?
Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

As a food additive

E-number
E440
Used in food as
  • Gelling agent
  • Thickener
  • Stabiliser
EU safety status

EFSA re-evaluated E440 in 2017: no safety concern at authorised uses.

It never counts as an additive of concern in a product’s food rating.

  • EFSA Journal 2017;15(7):4866 — Re-evaluation of pectin (E 440i) and amidated pectin (E 440ii) as food additives
  • EFSA Journal 2021 — Opinion on the re-evaluation of pectin (E 440i) and amidated pectin (E 440ii) as food additives in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of their re-evaluation as food additives for uses in foods for all population groups

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 240 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Medical/dental, Food and drug.

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Pectin appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • In marketed US drugs
  • Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • Pharma
  • Food
  • Industrial
  • USFDAinactive ingredient database8 entries — 3 administration routes
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: 5.45 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 2700 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 1 mgSource →
    • Route: DENTAL; Dosage form: PASTE; Potency: 16.6 %w/wSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 765 mgSource →
    • Route: NASAL; Dosage form: SPRAY; Potency: 10 mgSource →
    • Route: DENTAL; Dosage form: PASTE; Maximum daily exposure: 251 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 0.35 mgSource →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substance2 entries
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as structurallydiverse.Source →
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.Source →
  • EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
    • Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinionRe-evaluation of pectin (E 440i) and amidated pectin (E 440ii) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
    • Re-evaluation of pectin (E 440i) and amidated pectin (E 440ii) as food additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
  • GLOBALJECFANOT SPECIFIEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: thickener, emulsifier, gelling agent, stabilizer.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: thickener, emulsifier, gelling agent, stabilizer.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 240 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Medical/dental, Food and drug. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Mucoadhesive, Viscosity modifier, Emulsifier.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 240 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Medical/dental, Food and drug. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Mucoadhesive, Viscosity modifier, Emulsifier.Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 59 active drug products and 59 total products.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 59 active drug products and 59 total products.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • SCCS

    EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

    No SCCS opinion on file.

  • CIR

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)

    No CIR safety assessment on file.

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Re-evaluation of pectin (E 440i) and amidated pectin (E 440ii) as food additives (EFSA ANS)

      2017 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: thickener, emulsifier, gelling agent, stabilizer.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Pectin yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

9 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated September 2018

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA Inactive Ingredient Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-01-09

    Open →

  • FDA National Drug Code Directory

    regulatory · updated 2027-12-31

    Open →

  • FDA GSRS UNII

    registry · updated 2026-02-26

    Open →

  • WHO JECFA Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • openFDA Substance

    registry · updated 2026-05-24

    Open →
Reference links (2)
Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Pectin in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

240

Named organisations

6

Personal careMedical/dentalFood and drug

Typical roles

BindingEmulsion stabilisingViscosity controllingThickener, emulsifier, gelling agent, stabilizerEmulsifierThickener
See products using Pectin →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Pectin; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 686 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Pectin in the catalog.