Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose
Function: Thickeners
E464 is the European food-additive number for Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, a thickener — used to increase viscosity and give body to a food. Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E464) is an emulsifier used as a food additive.
What is E464 used for?
Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E464) is a thickener — used to increase viscosity and give body to a food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Thickeners (E-numbers).
Is E464 safe or restricted?
E464 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No known concern” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E464 vegan or vegetarian?
Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E464) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E464?
E464 appears in 3,959 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Dietary Supplements, Gluten-Free Bread, and Multivitamin.
- Dietary Supplements647
- Gluten-Free Bread200
- Multivitamin191
- Herbal Supplements174
- Vitamins & Supplements131
- Magnesium118
- Probiotics109
- White Bread107
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E464 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E464
- What is E464?
- E464 is the E-number for Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, a thickener — used to increase viscosity and give body to a food. Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E464) is an emulsifier used as a food additive.
- What is E464 used for?
- Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E464) is a thickener — used to increase viscosity and give body to a food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E464?
- E464 appears in 3,959 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Dietary Supplements, Gluten-Free Bread, and Multivitamin. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E464 vegan or vegetarian?
- Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E464) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E464 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E464 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as ‘No known concern’ and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E464 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan and vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.