INS 900a is the code for polydimethylsiloxane
Stops frying oil foaming over. Used in industrial frying, so it reaches chips, namkeen and fried instant noodles.
- What it does
- Stops it foaming An antifoaming agent
- Also printed as
- PDMS · Dimethylpolysiloxane
- Vegetarian?
- Vegetarian Made chemically
- In the Zabel score
- 2 of the 20 additive points Method 1.0.0
- In our catalogue
- 21 packs List it in their ingredients
Is INS 900a vegetarian?
INS 900a is made chemically, 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 900a 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 900a?
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.
JECFA sets an ADI of 1.5 mg/kg body weight. It is not absorbed by the body and is used in very small amounts. Its presence is mainly a signal that the product was deep-fried at industrial scale.
Does Zabel mark INS 900a down?
Yes, by 2 points. The additives part of the score starts at 20, and each code takes off a fixed amount set by the strength of the evidence about it, not by the fact that it is an additive (method 1.0.0). Read the method.
Questions people search
What is INS 900a?
INS 900a is the code for polydimethylsiloxane, an antifoaming agent. Stops frying oil foaming over. Used in industrial frying, so it reaches chips, namkeen and fried instant noodles.
Is INS 900a vegetarian?
INS 900a is made chemically, 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 900a?
JECFA sets an ADI of 1.5 mg/kg body weight. It is not absorbed by the body and is used in very small amounts. Its presence is mainly a signal that the product was deep-fried at industrial scale.
Does Zabel mark INS 900a down?
Yes, by 2 points. The additives part of the score starts at 20, and each code takes off a fixed amount set by the strength of the evidence about it, not by the fact that it is an additive (method 1.0.0).
What other names is INS 900a printed under?
Packs also print it as PDMS and Dimethylpolysiloxane, or as the bare number 900a 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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