Carnauba wax
Function: Glazing agents
E903 is the European food-additive number for Carnauba wax, a glazing agent — gives a protective or shiny coating to a food's surface. Carnauba wax (E903) is a carrier used as a food additive.
What is E903 used for?
Carnauba wax (E903) is a glazing agent — gives a protective or shiny coating to a food's surface. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Glazing agents (E-numbers).
Is E903 safe or restricted?
E903 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 E903 vegan or vegetarian?
Carnauba wax (E903) 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 product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E903?
E903 appears in 24,091 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Candy & Sweets, Gummy Candy, and Chewing Gum.
- Candy & Sweets4,957
- Gummy Candy4,060
- Chewing Gum2,115
- Chocolate Candy1,324
- Food Coloring / Decorations804
- Extruded Snacks622
- Licorice520
- Jelly Beans477
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E903 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 E903
- What is E903?
- E903 is the E-number for Carnauba wax, a glazing agent — gives a protective or shiny coating to a food's surface. Carnauba wax (E903) is a carrier used as a food additive.
- What is E903 used for?
- Carnauba wax (E903) is a glazing agent — gives a protective or shiny coating to a food's surface. 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 E903?
- E903 appears in 24,091 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Candy & Sweets, Gummy Candy, and Chewing Gum. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E903 vegan or vegetarian?
- Carnauba wax (E903) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E903 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E903 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 E903 — 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.