E422Humectant · Thickener
Glycerol
What the research shows
PrototypeNot enough
published research on this page yet
1 health finding on this page so far · See the findings
A sweet-tasting liquid that is found in animal fats and vegetable oils.
It is used as a sweetener and as a humectant.
Written from English Wikipedia1
- May not be vegan
- May not be vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
Studies in people
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Benefit
Water retention after dehydration2
In men, glycerol taken by mouth with fluids helped the body hold onto more water after dehydration.
Study type not stated
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Concern
Lowering metal limits3
Glycerol may contain small amounts of metals like lead and arsenic, so limits should be lowered.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 182.1320
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European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Other Accepted Uses
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 13,630 products on Open Food Facts that list glycerol.
- Protein Nut Bar Fruit & Chocolate Nature Valley · 160 g 4 additives
- Wraps Multigrains Gruma · 370 g 4 additives
- Barrette Proteiche al Caramello Salato Nature Valley · 40 g 3 additives
- 20 madeleines longues aux œufs frais Le Ster · 250 g 6 additives
- Buldak Spicy Ramen Samyang · 4.94 oz (140 g) 14 additives
- Bounty 2er Bounty · 57 g 2 additives
References
- 1Glycerol. Wikipedia. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- 2van Rosendal SP, Strobel NA, Osborne MA, Fassett RG, Coombes JS. Hydration and endocrine responses to intravenous fluid and oral glycerol. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015;25 Suppl 1:112-25. doi:10.1111/sms.12367
- 3Younes M, Aquilina G, Castle L, et al. Follow-up of the re-evaluation of glycerol (E 422) as a food additive. EFSA J. 2022;20(6):e07353. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7353