What E900 actually is
E900 stops frying oil foaming over. Hot oil with wet food in it foams violently, which is a genuine fire and burn hazard in commercial kitchens, and a few parts per million of silicone suppresses it. It is also why the same oil lasts longer before breaking down. Its presence in fast-food fryer oil is often reported as though it were a scandal; it is a safety measure.
What it is made from
Synthesised silicone polymer, made from silicon and oxygen. It is the same family of compound as the silicone in bakeware and medical implants, and it contains nothing plant or animal derived.
Vegan, vegetarian, and halal status
Fully synthetic with no animal-derived input, so it suits vegan, vegetarian, halal, and kosher diets.
Is E900 safe?
E900 is permitted in the EU, UK, and US. EFSA set an acceptable daily intake of 1.5 mg per kg of body weight per day. It is chemically inert and is not absorbed from the digestive tract, passing through unchanged. It is used at very low levels, typically around 10 parts per million in frying oil. The same polymer is used medically as an anti-flatulence treatment, which is a reasonable indicator of how it is regarded.
- Chemically inert and not absorbed from the digestive tract
- Used at roughly 10 parts per million in frying oil
- The same polymer is used medically as simeticone for trapped wind
- EFSA acceptable daily intake of 1.5 mg per kg of body weight per day
Where regulators stand
- EFSA (EU)
- Permitted with an acceptable daily intake of 1.5 mg per kg of body weight per day.
- FDA (US)
- Permitted as an anti-foaming agent at limited levels.
Foods it turns up in
- Commercial frying oil and fried fast food
- Cooking oils sold for deep frying
- Some syrups and jams, to control foaming during production
- Fruit juice concentrates
Names it hides behind
- E900
- Dimethylpolysiloxane
- Polydimethylsiloxane
- PDMS
- Anti-foaming agent (E900)
Common questions
- Is there really silicone in fries?
- In the frying oil, yes, at around 10 parts per million. It stops the oil foaming over, which is a real fire and burn hazard, and it is permitted for that reason.
- Is E900 safe to eat?
- It is chemically inert and passes through unabsorbed. The same polymer is sold medically as simeticone for trapped wind.
- Is dimethylpolysiloxane vegan and halal?
- Yes. It is a synthetic silicone polymer with no plant or animal input.
- Is it the same silicone as in bakeware?
- The same family of compound. Food-grade E900 is a specified, purified form intended for consumption.
- Why is it not on the menu board?
- It is a processing aid in the oil rather than an ingredient of the food, so declaration rules differ by market. Chains often list it in their published ingredient information.
Checking a real pack
This page answers the code. The pack in your hand is what decides, because the same code can come from different sources depending on the manufacturer. LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, scans the label and explains what is in front of you.
Related
LabelWise content is educational and describes how additives are made, regulated, and labelled. It is not medical, dietary, or religious advice. For certification questions, the mark on the pack and the certifying body are the authority.