What is it?
Tara gum is a fibre ground from the inside of the seeds of the tara tree, which grows in Peru. It is a pale cream powder made of sugar units, much like locust bean gum and guar gum.
E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E417
Tara gum
also: Peruvian carob · INS 417
A thickener made from the seeds of the Peruvian tara tree. It makes foods smooth and stops them separating.
Scan a barcode to check a food for tara gum. NutraSafe Pro · £6.99/month · iOS
Water, Sugar, Fructose Syrup, Glucose Syrup, Lemon Juice from Concentrate, Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid), Stabilisers (Tara Gum, Locust Bean Gum), Colour (Sulphite Ammonia Caramel), Flavouring
E417
Tara gum
Tara gum is a fibre ground from the inside of the seeds of the tara tree, which grows in Peru.
VeganVegetarian
194
of the 43,325 UK supermarket foods we checked declare E417 in their ingredients
That is 0.4%, counted by its code or its name.
Only 12% of these labels print “E417”. Most use the name: look for “tara gum”.
Counted by NutraSafe from UK supermarket ingredient lists, September 2026. How we counted
How common it is in UK food, by aisle
- Ice cream and frozen desserts78 products10% of 762
- Cakes, biscuits and desserts61 products1.6% of 3,715
- Bread and bakery22 products0.6% of 3,682
- Sauces, dressings and condiments15 products0.5% of 2,776
What tara gum is, what it does and where you will see it
What does it do?
It dissolves in water and turns it thick and smooth, which stops ingredients separating. In larger amounts it sets into a soft gel. In frozen food it slows ice crystals forming, and in dairy and sauces it gives a smoother feel in the mouth.
Where you will see it
Ice cream, frozen desserts, salad dressings, sauces, soups, processed cheese, gluten-free baked goods and some ready meals. UK labels call it tara gum or E417.
What the science says
No harm in animals fed far more than people eat
Rats, mice and dogs have been fed tara gum at doses far higher than anyone would eat in food. No significant harm showed up in any medium-term or long-term study, and the highest doses tested in reproduction studies did not harm the young.
Rats fed up to 4,500mg of tara gum per kg of body weight a day for 90 days showed no significant harm from it.
2017Animal studyEFSA ANS Panel re-evaluation of tara gum (E 417)
Long-term studies in rats and mice at up to 7,500mg per kg of body weight a day found tara gum did not cause cancer.
2017Animal studyEFSA ANS Panel re-evaluation of tara gum (E 417)
Reproduction and development studies found no harm at the highest dose tested, 2,500mg per kg of body weight a day.
2017Animal studyEFSA ANS Panel re-evaluation of tara gum (E 417)
No sign that it damages DNA
Lab tests on bacteria and on cells found no sign that tara gum damages DNA.
Tara gum was negative in bacterial and cell tests for DNA damage, and reviewers raised nothing on DNA damage.
2017Lab studyEFSA ANS Panel re-evaluation of tara gum (E 417)
Reviewers asked for tighter purity rules
Reviewers noted that the official purity rules for tara gum did not set limits for germs such as Salmonella and E. coli, or for tarry compounds that could form when the seeds are roasted. These are about how it is made, not about what it does in the body.
Reviewers recommended adding limits for germs and reviewing limits for heavy metals. Tarry compounds (PAHs) from roasting were not covered by the existing rules.
2017Regulator reviewEFSA ANS Panel re-evaluation of tara gum (E 417)
Where it stands with the regulators
Approved in the UK and the EU
Daily limit. None set.
- Legal basis
- On the Food Standards Agency's approved list for Great Britain
- Permitted foods
- Most foods that may contain additives other than colours and sweeteners · Ice cream and frozen desserts · Dairy products and dairy alternatives · Sauces, dressings and condiments · Soups · Baked goods · Processed cheese
- Maximum levels
- No set maximum, as long as makers use no more than they need.
- History
- Tara gum was first approved in the EU in the early 1990s. European reviewers completed a full review in 2017 and kept it approved with no numerical daily limit. They noted gaps in the purity rules, on germs and roasting by-products, but these did not change their conclusion.
Who should be careful
No group is advised to avoid it. It comes from the seed of a tree in the legume family, the same family as peas and peanuts, so people with a severe legume allergy may want to look for tara gum or E417 on labels, though cross-reactions have not been shown.
The honest read
Tara gum is in the same family as locust bean gum and guar gum, both long used and well understood. The 2017 European review was thorough, covering DNA damage, long-term harm and effects on reproduction in several species, and found nothing pointing to a risk at the amounts used in food. The main question it left open was about the purity rules, not about any effect on people who eat it.
Common questions about tara gum
Is E417 banned in the UK?
No. Tara gum is approved in the UK and is on the Food Standards Agency's list of approved additives.
Is tara gum a legume? Could it cause a reaction?
Yes, it comes from the seed of the tara tree, which is in the legume family. Whether people with legume allergies react to it has not been well studied. If you have a severe legume allergy, check labels for tara gum or E417 and ask an allergist if unsure.
What foods contain E417?
Ice cream, frozen desserts, salad dressings, soups, processed cheese, sauces and some gluten-free baked goods. Labels call it tara gum or E417.
Is E417 vegan?
Yes. It comes entirely from the seed of the tara tree, with nothing from animals.
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