Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) (INS 464)

Quick Facts

INS Number

464

E-Number

E464

Category

Thickener

Veg Status

Vegan

FSSAI Status

Permitted by FSSAI

JECFA ADI

Not specified (1989)

Chemical Name

hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (2-hydroxypropyl ether of methyl cellulose; also called hypromellose)

What is INS 464?

INS 464 is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, almost always written HPMC on packs and sometimes called hypromellose. It is the plant-cellulose material behind the 'veg capsules' used for most plant-based supplement and pharmaceutical capsules on Indian shelves, and it also doubles as a thickener and binder in gluten-free baking, salad dressings, and plant-based meat alternatives. It is part of the same modified-cellulose family as INS 466 (CMC), INS 461 (methyl cellulose), and INS 463 (HPC).

Why brands add it

Brands use it because HPMC forms a strong, clear, flexible film that can be made into capsule shells without using gelatin (which is animal-derived). For Indian consumers, this is the difference between a green-dot vegetarian or vegan supplement capsule and a brown-dot animal-derived one. HPMC is also a top thickener in gluten-free dough (it gives the structure that gluten would otherwise provide), it stabilises oil-and-water dressings, and it holds shape in plant-based burger patties during cooking. Like other cellulose ethers, it is heat-reversible: it gels when heated and dissolves when cooled, the opposite of starch.

Where you'll find it

INS 464 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:

• vegan supplement capsules and 'veg capsules' (HPMC is the dominant material)
• pharmaceutical tablet coatings and capsule shells
• gluten-free bread, biscuits, and bakery
• plant-based meat alternatives and vegan patties
• salad dressings and emulsified sauces
• ice cream and frozen desserts
• reduced-fat baked goods and edible films

Veg or non-veg? - Vegan

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is made from plant cellulose (typically wood pulp or cotton linters) chemically modified with methyl chloride and propylene oxide to introduce both methyl and hydroxypropyl groups. No animal product is used in its manufacture. HPMC is the material most consumer-recognised 'veg capsule' supplements are made from; check the pack for 'HPMC capsule' or 'vegetable capsule' if the vegan source matters to you. (Pullulan and starch-based vegan capsules also exist; HPMC is the most common.)

FSSAI status and JECFA evaluation

FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI as a thickener, stabiliser, and emulsifier under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 for specified food categories with category-specific limits. HPMC is also widely used as a pharmaceutical excipient (tablet coating and capsule shell material) regulated separately under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, where the same INS 464 material specification applies.

JECFA: Group ADI 'not specified' for modified celluloses (INS 461, 463, 464, 466, and other cellulose ethers), established at the 35th JECFA (1989). 'Not specified' means JECFA did not consider a numerical limit necessary at expected use levels. The basis is that HPMC is not absorbed intact through the gut, is not significantly fermented in the colon, and is excreted via the faeces; the JECFA evaluation found a no-observed-adverse-effect level of 5,000 mg per kg of body weight per day from 90-day rat feeding studies, and the estimated current dietary exposure is more than 100,000 times lower than that. JECFA's specifications were updated at the 76th meeting (2011) but the ADI was unchanged. EFSA's 2018 re-evaluation of the cellulose family reaffirmed the JECFA position and concluded there is no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels.

Also known as

On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 464 is also called: