E-numbers  /  Other additives  /  E458

Cyclodextrin

also: gamma-cyclodextrin · alpha-cyclodextrin · cyclic dextrin

A ring-shaped sugar molecule used to trap and stabilise flavours, colours and vitamins. Not currently authorised as a food additive in the UK or EU.

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E458

Cyclodextrin

E458 does not hold a current UK or EU food additive authorisation.

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What cyclodextrin is, what it does and where you will see it

Why it’s worth knowing. E458 does not hold a current UK or EU food additive authorisation. If you see it on a UK or EU product label, the product may not comply with food additive law. It is not on the UK list of approved food additives, so you will not normally see this E number on a UK label.

What is it?

Gamma-cyclodextrin is a cyclic oligosaccharide made from eight glucose units linked in a ring. It belongs to the cyclodextrin family, which are produced from starch by enzymatic conversion. Its ring-shaped structure creates a hollow, barrel-like cavity that can encapsulate smaller molecules. The closely related beta-cyclodextrin (E459) is the EU and UK-authorised version; gamma-cyclodextrin carries the code E458 but is not listed in Annex II of the EU food additives regulation or on the UK FSA approved-additives list.

What does it do?

Cyclodextrins work by encapsulating guest molecules, such as flavours, colours, vitamins or polyunsaturated fatty acids, inside their central cavity. This protects sensitive ingredients from oxidation, heat or light, masks bitter or unpleasant tastes, and improves solubility of fat-soluble compounds in water-based foods. Gamma-cyclodextrin has the largest cavity of the three main types, making it particularly suited to hosting larger molecules. In the gut, gamma-cyclodextrin is readily digested by salivary and pancreatic alpha-amylase in the small intestine, releasing its encapsulated cargo.

Where you will see it

Because E458 is not authorised in the UK or EU, it should not appear in food products sold under those regulatory frameworks. Globally, gamma-cyclodextrin is used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products as a carrier for vitamins and fatty acids, and in some food applications outside Europe. On a label it would appear as 'E458', 'gamma-cyclodextrin', or simply 'cyclodextrin'.

What the science says

Digestion and metabolism

Unlike alpha- and beta-cyclodextrin, which resist digestion in the small intestine and reach the colon largely intact, gamma-cyclodextrin is rapidly broken down by amylase enzymes in the small intestine. It is effectively treated by the body as a digestible starch. JECFA noted that rat studies at dietary concentrations up to 20% showed no toxic effects, and a human study found it produced no adverse effects at 8g per serving with no adverse gastrointestinal symptoms.

Gamma-cyclodextrin is rapidly digested by salivary and pancreatic alpha-amylase, unlike alpha- and beta-cyclodextrin, which are largely stable toward amylase in the upper gut.

2000Regulatory reviewJECFA, WHO Food Additives Series 44, Monograph 969, Cyclodextrin gamma

In a 12-month rat feeding study at dietary concentrations up to 20% gamma-cyclodextrin, no toxic effects were observed. Minor changes in caecal weight were attributed to osmotic effects of any undigested fraction rather than toxicity.

2000AnimalJECFA, WHO Food Additives Series 44, Monograph 969, Cyclodextrin gamma

Human subjects consuming 8g of gamma-cyclodextrin per serving reported no adverse gastrointestinal symptoms, and JECFA allocated an ADI 'not specified', indicating no health concern at levels needed for intended food use.

2000RegulatoryJECFA, WHO Food Additives Series 44, Monograph 969, Cyclodextrin gamma

Regulatory status: not authorised in UK or EU

The UK FSA approved-additives list (updated July 2025) does not include E458. Annex II of assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008 also does not list E458. The authorised cyclodextrin in UK and EU food law is E459 (beta-cyclodextrin). E458 therefore lacks the legal basis to be used as a food additive in Great Britain or the EU, regardless of its JECFA evaluation.

E459 (beta-cyclodextrin) is listed as a permitted food additive in Annex II of EU Regulation 1333/2008 (assimilated into UK law). E458 (gamma-cyclodextrin) does not appear in that list.

2025RegulatoryUK FSA Approved Additives and E Numbers list; assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008 Annex II

Where it stands with the regulators

Not a permitted food additive in the UK or EU. E458 does not appear on the UK FSA approved-additives list or in Annex II of assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008.
Legal basis
UK FSA approved-additives list (updated July 2025); assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008 Annex II. The permitted cyclodextrin in UK/EU food law is E459 (beta-cyclodextrin), not E458.
Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
ADI 'not specified' allocated by JECFA (WHO Food Additives Series 44, 2000), meaning no toxicological concern at food-use levels. However, this JECFA evaluation does not confer UK or EU food additive authorisation.
History
JECFA evaluated gamma-cyclodextrin in 2000 and allocated an ADI 'not specified', reflecting no toxicological concern at levels relevant to food use. Despite this evaluation, gamma-cyclodextrin was not included in the EU positive list of food additives under Regulation 1333/2008, nor has it been added to the UK FSA approved-additives list as of July 2025. Beta-cyclodextrin (E459) received EU food additive authorisation with an ADI of 5mg/kg body weight per day set by the EU Scientific Committee on Food in 1996 and re-evaluated by EFSA in 2016. Gamma-cyclodextrin remains in use in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical contexts globally but has not received a food additive authorisation in UK or EU law. No evidence of a post-2020 application to EFSA or the UK FSA for food additive authorisation of E458 was found in publicly available records as of June 2026.

Who should be careful

E458 should not be present in UK or EU food products. Consumers who spot 'E458' or 'gamma-cyclodextrin' on a UK product label should be aware the additive does not hold a food-use authorisation in the UK and may wish to report it to the UK FSA.

The honest read

The science on gamma-cyclodextrin's safety is fairly settled at a toxicological level: JECFA reviewed it thoroughly and found nothing that warranted setting a numerical ADI, which is the body's way of saying no limit is needed at realistic intake amounts. The issue is not toxicity but authorisation: the EU and UK never added E458 to their positive lists. That is a regulatory decision, not a safety verdict, and the record does not explain exactly why it was omitted while E459 was included. Finding E458 on a UK or EU food label would be unusual and worth querying.

Common questions about cyclodextrin

Is E458 banned in the UK?

E458 is not on the UK FSA's approved-additives list, which means it does not have authorisation to be used as a food additive in Great Britain. It has not been formally banned by a specific prohibition, but because the UK (like the EU) operates a positive list, any additive not on the list is not permitted for use in food.

What is the difference between E458 and E459?

Both are cyclic sugar molecules from the cyclodextrin family. E459 is beta-cyclodextrin (7 glucose units) and E458 is gamma-cyclodextrin (8 glucose units). E459 is authorised as a food additive in the UK and EU; E458 is not. Gamma-cyclodextrin has a larger central cavity and is more readily digested in the small intestine.

What foods contain E458?

Because E458 is not authorised in the UK or EU, it should not appear in food products sold in those markets. It is used in some pharmaceutical products and food supplements in jurisdictions where it has been evaluated, but you should not encounter it on a UK supermarket food label.

Is E458 vegan?

Gamma-cyclodextrin is derived from starch, typically corn or potato starch, and does not involve animal-derived ingredients in its production. It would generally be considered vegan, though this is academic given it is not an authorised food additive in the UK or EU.

Sources

Last reviewed: 20 June 2026

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