Shellac / Confectioner's Glaze (E904)
The question

Is Shellac / Confectioner's Glaze (E904) safe in candy coating?

ClearedCandy coating

A resinous coating secreted by the lac beetle and approved by the FDA and EFSA as a food-grade glazing agent. EFSA established an ADI of 4 mg/kg body weight. Passes through the digestive tract largely undigested with minimal systemic absorption. Rare allergic reactions possible.

What the research flags

  • Insect-derived — not suitable for vegans or those with insect protein allergies
  • Rare allergic contact reactions in sensitive individuals

Other candy coating ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    Peer-reviewedPeer-reviewed journal — j.efsa.2024.8897
  2. [2]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 39099614
  3. [3]
    RegulatoryUS federal agency — food-additive-status-list

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific candy coating product. This is not medical advice.