Allervibe
E553b
Talc
A soft natural magnesium silicate mineral used as an anti-caking and surface-treatment agent.
i Additive Details
| Is E553b Talc safe?
Food-grade talc must meet purity criteria that require it to be free of asbestos fibres, which is a different material specification and a different exposure route from the inhaled or cosmetic talc behind long-running health disputes. Talc eaten in food is not absorbed from the gut. When IARC classified talc as probably carcinogenic to humans in 2024, the assessment rested mainly on evidence from occupational inhalation and body-powder use rather than on dietary intake.
| Uses
Prevents sticking and clumping in chewing gum, rice, seasonings and some food supplements, serves as a dusting and polishing aid in sugar panning, and is applied to the surface of certain sausages.
| Interactions
Chemically inert and insoluble in water and in digestive fluids, so it does not react with food components. It serves the same purpose as magnesium silicate (E553a) and silicon dioxide (E551) and is sometimes used together with them.
| Origin
Mined as the natural mineral talc, a hydrated magnesium silicate, then milled and purified. Food-grade material is selected from deposits and processed so that it meets the asbestos-free requirement.
| Daily Intake
ADI not specified. In the EU its use is controlled by restricting it to defined food categories rather than by a numerical daily intake figure.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E551 Silicon dioxide A fine amorphous silica powder used to stop powdered foods from clumping.
- E150a Plain caramel The Class I caramel colour, made by heating sugars without ammonia or sulphite reagents.
- E150b Caustic sulphite caramel The Class II caramel colour, made by heating sugars with sulphite compounds but no ammonia.
- E150c Ammonia caramel The Class III caramel colour, made by heating sugars with ammonium compounds but no sulphite.
- E160c Paprika extract An orange-red colour extracted from the fruit of sweet paprika peppers.
- E472e DATEM Diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, the emulsifier that strengthens dough in most industrial bread.
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