INS 464 is the code for hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose
Modified plant fibre used to thicken, to glaze, and to make plant-based capsule shells.
- What it does
- Thickens it A thickener
- Also printed as
- HPMC · Hypromellose
- Vegetarian?
- Vegetarian From plants
- In the Zabel score
- Takes no points off Method 1.0.0
- In our catalogue
- 7 packs List it in their ingredients
Is INS 464 vegetarian?
INS 464 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.
Too few packs in our catalogue list INS 464 for a breakdown by food to mean anything yet. We print one once at least 20 categorised packs carry it.
What does the evidence say about INS 464?
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 is the usual vegetarian alternative to gelatin in capsules.
Does Zabel mark INS 464 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 464?
INS 464 is the code for hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, a thickener. Modified plant fibre used to thicken, to glaze, and to make plant-based capsule shells.
Is INS 464 vegetarian?
INS 464 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 464?
No numerical limit and no identified concern at food levels. It is the usual vegetarian alternative to gelatin in capsules.
Does Zabel mark INS 464 down?
No. On the evidence we hold it takes nothing off the score (method 1.0.0).
What other names is INS 464 printed under?
Packs also print it as HPMC and Hypromellose, or as the bare number 464 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
Point the camera at the pack.
Zabel reads every INS code on it, shows the score, and shows the working.