Food additive · Thickener / stabilizer

Pectin

E-number
E440

A gelling agent from fruit, used in jams, jellies and gummies.

  • Food additive
  • Thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent
  • Ultra-processing marker
  • Expert review pending

Concern level

Low concern Level 1 of 4 How concern levels work

A minor or very limited concern, such as being an ultra-processing marker only. The concern level sets how many points pectin costs on a product’s receipt.

What the evidence says

  • Marker of ultra-processingInfo

    An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [1]

Evidence tiers say how sure the evidence is, separately from how much it matters. About evidence tiers.

Popular products that list pectin

743 of the 17,000 most-scanned products in the US with a GoodSwap page list pectin. The 12 most scanned:

Diets and allergens

Vegan
Yes
Vegetarian
Yes
Gluten-free
Yes

For the ingredient in general. Always check the package: a product’s own labels win.

Names GoodSwap recognizes on labels (40)
  • e440
  • pectin
  • pektin
  • pectine
  • pectins
  • apple pectin
  • fruit pectin
  • lemon pectin
  • citrus pectin
  • liquid pectin
  • organic pectin
  • thickener e440
  • amidated pectin
  • thickener pectin
  • stabiliser pectin
  • stabilizer pectin
  • thickener pectins
  • thickeners pectin
  • gelling agent e440
  • pectin from citrus
  • stabiliser pectins
  • stabilisers pectin
  • stabilizer pectins
  • stabilizers pectin
  • thickeners pectins
  • low methoxyl pectin
  • stabilisers pectins
  • gelling agent pectin
  • glazing agent pectin
  • high methoxyl pectin
  • pectin gelling agent
  • gelling agent pectins
  • gelling agents pectin
  • glazing agent pectins
  • gelling agents pectins
  • stabiliser fruit pectin
  • gelling agent fruit pectin
  • stabiliser amidated pectin
  • gelling agent citrus pectin
  • gelling agent amidated pectin

Sources

  1. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org