E901 - Beeswax

E901 is beeswax, used to glaze sweets and fruit. Vegetarians eat it; vegans do not.

The shine on jelly sweets and some supermarket apples comes from a thin coat of wax. Like honey, it counts as vegetarian because the bees are not killed.

10 products in our catalog contain E901, or 0.1% of those with an ingredient list. Most of them are chocolate and sweets.

E901 at a glance

FactValue
NameBeeswax
FunctionGlazing agent
OriginInsect
Vegan / vegetarianNo / Yes

Is E901 vegan?

Not for vegans. Vegetarians generally do eat it.

More in: Glazing agent