Is Glycerin (E422) vegan?
Depends on the brand
Depends — glycerin can be made from plant oils, petroleum or animal fat.
Also listed as: glycerol, E422
Key facts
- Verdict
- Depends on the brand
- Category
- Additive
- Also listed as
- glycerol, E422
- Best swap
- Vegetable glycerin
Why
Most food-grade glycerin is a by-product of vegetable oil and biodiesel processing, but tallow-derived glycerin still circulates, especially in soap and cosmetics.
What to check on the label
- "Vegetable glycerin" wording
- Cosmetics with unspecified glycerin
- Vegan certification
Swap it for
Vegetable glycerinCertified vegan cosmeticsGlycerin-free formulas
Questions people ask
Is vegetable glycerin clearly labelled?
In food, usually. In cosmetics, often not — check for a vegan mark.
What is it doing in my food?
It holds moisture in bars, icings and low-sugar sweets.
More additive checks
Reviewed 2026-09-16 by the Veg.ac editorial team · Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.