INS 460 is the code for cellulose
Purified plant fibre used to add bulk without calories and to stop grated cheese sticking together.
- What it does
- Adds bulk A bulking agent
- Also printed as
- Microcrystalline cellulose · Powdered cellulose
- Vegetarian?
- Vegetarian From plants
- In the Zabel score
- Takes no points off Method 1.0.0
- In our catalogue
- 26 packs List it in their ingredients
Is INS 460 vegetarian?
INS 460 is from plants, so it does not by itself make a food non-vegetarian. The green or brown mark on the pack is still the declaration to go by, because it covers every other ingredient too.
| Food category | Share | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Milk and dairy drinks | 55% | |
| Other beverages | 14% | |
| Pulses and legumes | 14% | |
| Carbonated soft drinks | 5% | |
| Fruit juices and nectars | 5% | |
| Everything else | 9% |
Counted from the 26 packs in Zabel's catalogue that list INS 460, 22 of which have a food category so far. Counted 4 Nov 2026.
What does the evidence say about INS 460?
We grade an additive by the evidence about it, not by whether it sounds like a chemical, and we make no claim about whether a pack complies with FSSAI rules.
No numerical limit and no identified concern at food levels. It passes through undigested and counts as insoluble fibre.
Does Zabel mark INS 460 down?
No. On the evidence we hold it takes nothing off the score (method 1.0.0). Read the method.
Questions people search
What is INS 460?
INS 460 is the code for cellulose, a bulking agent. Purified plant fibre used to add bulk without calories and to stop grated cheese sticking together.
Is INS 460 vegetarian?
INS 460 is from plants, so it does not by itself make a food non-vegetarian. The green or brown mark on the pack is still the declaration to go by, because it covers every other ingredient too.
What does the evidence say about INS 460?
No numerical limit and no identified concern at food levels. It passes through undigested and counts as insoluble fibre.
Does Zabel mark INS 460 down?
No. On the evidence we hold it takes nothing off the score (method 1.0.0).
What other names is INS 460 printed under?
Packs also print it as Microcrystalline cellulose and Powdered cellulose, or as the bare number 460 in brackets after the ingredient.
Sources
- 01 Evaluations of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) WHO / FAO, 2024
- 02 Zabel catalogue - pack counts, food categories and the codes printed alongside 4 Nov 2026
Entry updated 19 Sep 2026 · Not reviewed by a dietitian yet · Report an error on this page
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