Foods Containing E902 (Candelilla Wax)
E902 (Candelilla Wax) is harvested from the candelilla shrub, used as a glazing agents & waxe to help give foods a shiny surface coating or protective layer. Here's where you're most likely to find it on food labels.
Common foods that contain E902
E902 is used across sweets, chocolate, chewing gum, fresh fruit coatings and baked goods. The foods where it appears most often include:
- Sweets
- Chocolate
- Chewing gum
- Fresh fruit coatings and baked goods
Exact usage varies by brand and recipe — the only way to know for certain whether a specific product contains E902 is to check its ingredients list, where it must be declared by law, either as "E902" or as "Candelilla Wax".
How to spot E902 on a label
In the UK and EU, additives must appear in the ingredients list with their function and either their E-number or full name — for example "glazing agents and waxes: E902" or "glazing agents and waxes: candelilla wax". In the US the E-number system isn't used, so look for the full name "Candelilla Wax" instead.
Should you avoid foods containing E902?
E902 is considered safe. It is authorised across the EU, UK and US, and safety evaluations by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have not identified health concerns at the levels used in food. For most people there is no reason to avoid E902.
Full guide to E902: safety, vegan and halal status →
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Additive data sourced from Open Food Facts (ODbL licence) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).