# Ethyl cellulose — Food additive regulatory approval status — US FDA vs EU

For Ethyl cellulose, jurisdiction is US FDA (21 CFR 172–178); status is permitted; citation is 21 CFR 172.868; use conditions is in food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:   ( a ) The food additive is a cellulose ether containing ethoxy (OC 2 H 5 ) groups attached by an ether linkage and containing on an anhydrous basis not more than 2, recorded from its source on 2026-08-15.

- **Additive:** Ethyl cellulose _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Jurisdiction:** US FDA (21 CFR 172–178) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Status:** permitted _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Citation:** 21 CFR 172.868 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Use conditions:** in food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:   ( a ) The food additive is a cellulose ether containing ethoxy (OC 2 H 5 ) groups attached by an ether linkage and containing on an anhydrous basis not more than 2. _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> § 172.868 Ethyl cellulose. The food additive ethyl cellulose may be safely used in food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions: ( a ) The food additive is a cellulose ether containing ethoxy (OC 2 H 5 ) groups attached by an ether linkage and containing on an anhydrous basis not more than 2.6 ethoxy groups per anhydroglucose unit.

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172

Last verified: 2026-08-15. Review by: 2027-08-15.
Part of [Food additive regulatory approval status — US FDA vs EU](https://referencesource.org/food-additive-approval-status-us-vs-eu/).