INS 903 is carnauba wax, a natural plant wax from the leaves of the Brazilian carnauba palm. It is the hardest natural wax used in food and gives a tough, mirror-bright glaze to pan masala, chocolate-covered nuts, sugar-coated candies, and supplement tablets. On vegetarian Indian packs it is the typical alternative to animal-derived beeswax (INS 901) and shellac (INS 904). It is generally vegan and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories.
INS 903 is carnauba wax, a natural plant wax from the leaves of the Brazilian carnauba palm. It is the hardest natural wax used in food and gives a tough, mirror-bright glaze to pan masala, chocolate-covered nuts, sugar-coated candies, and supplement tablets. On vegetarian Indian packs it is the typical alternative to animal-derived beeswax (INS 901) and shellac (INS 904).
Brands use it because carnauba is harder than beeswax and shellac, giving a longer-lasting, glossier finish on coated candies, gums, and pan masala. It is the standard polish on chocolate-covered nuts in vegetarian-only product lines and on shoe polish, car wax, and surfboards in non-food uses.
INS 903 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Carnauba wax is harvested from the leaves of the carnauba palm tree (Copernicia prunifera), a plant native to Brazil. No animal product is used in its manufacture. It is the standard vegan/vegetarian alternative to beeswax (INS 901) and shellac (INS 904) when a brand needs a glossy coating without animal-source ingredients.
FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 as a glazing agent for specified food categories with category-specific limits.
JECFA: ADI 0-7 mg/kg body weight for carnauba wax, established at 61st JECFA (2003).
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 903 is also called:
Last verified: 2026-04-30.
This page covers INS 903 one additive at a time. To check a full packet's ingredient list against the same FSSAI / JECFA / EFSA-cited dataset, use the Indian Food Ingredient Checker - paste the whole list and get a per-item verdict plus a composite tone (clear / watch / flag / incomplete).