E558; Bentonite

(in 4,510 products)

1. Absorbent - Absorbs and soaks up liquids

2. Anti-caking Agent - Prevents lumps from forming in food due to excess water. They usually function as a water repellent or by absorbing excess moisture.

3. Anti-foaming Agent / Defoamer - Reduces or hinders the formation of foam.

4. Bulking Agent - Non-nutritious or inactive substances added to increase stability of the mixture.

5. Fragrance / Fragrance Component - Provides or enhances a particular smell or odor.

6. Suspending Agent - Promotes particle suspension or dispersion while reducing sedimentation

7. Viscosity Controlling Agent - Maintains or alters the thickness of a liquid, mostly used in cosmetics

Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite. The main uses of bentonite are for drilling mud, binder, purifier, absorbent, and as a groundwater barrier. Bentonite has also been prescribed as a bulk laxative, and it is also used as a base for many dermatologic formulas.

In food industry, it can be used as anti-caking agent with E number 558. However, it is not approved to use as food additive in EU. It is generally recognized as safe food substance in US.

1. PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/517273

1. South Korea - Ministry of Food and Drug Safety - Prohibited/Restricted Chemicals

- Ref: 468

2. E-numbers which are not found in EU FOOD

3. US FDA Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) Food Substances (21 CFR 184) [2017]

- § 184.1155 - Bentonite

4. International Fragrance Association Transparency List [2015]

- Bentonite

5. US EPA, Safer Chemical Ingredients List