E466Emulsifier · Humectant · Stabiliser · Thickener
Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose
What the research shows
PrototypeNot enough
published research on this page yet
1 health finding on this page so far · See the findings
A form of cellulose gum, often used as its sodium salt.
Written from English Wikipedia1
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
Animal and lab studies only
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Concern
Pancreas inflammation4
In animal studies, sodium carboxy methyl cellulose made pancreas inflammation worse by changing gut bacteria.
How it’s made and used
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Allergic reactions to food additives2
In one person allergic to sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, eating it was fine but nasal use caused asthma and rhinitis.
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Gut bacteria and digestion3
Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose passes through undigested, and gut bacteria can break it down in animals and people.
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-
European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 13,862 products on Open Food Facts that list sodium carboxy methyl cellulose.
- Protein Thin Bagels Warburtons · 4x60 g 7 additives
- Lait de coco Grace · 400 ml 2 additives
- COCONUT MILK BLUE DRAGON · 400 ml 3 additives
- Soft Pittas Warburtons · 4 7 additives
- Core Power High Protein Milk Shake Chocolate fairlife · 14oz 5 additives
- Wraps Roco Loco · 6 x 62 g 10 additives
References
- 1Carboxymethyl cellulose. Wikipedia. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- 2Piotin A, Poirot A, Wurm M, et al. A case report of carboxymethylcellulose allergy: exploring tolerance based on administration route. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2025;47(2):234-238. doi:10.1080/08923973.2025.2469214
- 3Younes M, Aggett P, Aguilar F, et al. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives. EFSA J. 2018;16(1):e05047. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5047
- 4Feng Y, Chen W, Chen J, et al. Dietary emulsifier carboxymethylcellulose-induced gut dysbiosis and SCFA reduction aggravate acute pancreatitis through classical monocyte activation. Microbiome. 2025;13(1):83. doi:10.1186/s40168-025-02074-1