l-cysteine
E920 is the European food-additive number for l-cysteine. l-cysteine (E920) is a flour treatment agent used as a food additive.
Is E920 safe or restricted?
E920 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 E920 vegan or vegetarian?
l-cysteine (E920) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product.
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 E920?
E920 appears in 3,416 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Tortilla / Wrap, Pastry, and Bread.
- Tortilla / Wrap238
- Pastry227
- Bread226
- White Bread223
- Sandwiches199
- Frozen Pizza186
- Pizza167
- Wraps & Burritos132
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E920 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 E920
- What is E920?
- E920 is the E-number for l-cysteine. l-cysteine (E920) is a flour treatment agent used as a food additive.
- Which foods contain E920?
- E920 appears in 3,416 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Tortilla / Wrap, Pastry, and Bread. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E920 vegan or vegetarian?
- l-cysteine (E920) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E920 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E920 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 E920 — 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.