日本語
Food additive databasethickener / stabilizerChecked 2026-10-02

Pectin ペクチン

Existing food additivePermitted in the EU (E440)
Purpose
thickener / stabilizer
On the label
“ペクチン” (pectin), “増粘剤（ペクチン）” (thickener (pectin)), “安定剤（ペクチン）” (stabilizer (pectin)), “ゲル化剤（ペクチン）” (gelling agent (pectin)), “増粘多糖類” (thickening polysaccharides)
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives
ペクチン (No. 256)
Source and production
Obtained from citrus fruits, apples, and similar sources, with water-soluble polysaccharides such as partially methyl-esterified polygalacturonic acid as the component. It may contain sucrose, glucose, lactose, or dextrin (specifications).

In Japan

  • Its purpose in the List of Existing Food Additives is thickener/stabilizer. No alternative or short name is set, and it is written “ペクチン” (pectin).
  • When used for thickening, stabilizing, or gelling, it is written together with the purpose name, as in “ゲル化剤（ペクチン）” (gelling agent (pectin)). When two or more thickener/stabilizer polysaccharides are used, they can be grouped as “増粘多糖類” (thickening polysaccharides), and since this contains the characters “増粘” (thickening), the purpose name can be omitted.
  • There are no standards for use. The specifications limit amide groups to 25% or less of total carboxyl groups, and amidated pectin is also included.

Japan's standards for use

There are no standards for use that limit which foods or how much (the general standards for all additives still apply).

This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.

In the EU

  • It is on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II) as E440.
  • In the EU it is divided into E440(i) pectin and E440(ii) amidated pectin.

When it is labeled under a shared name

Pectin may be declared on the label in the same way as “増粘剤・安定剤・ゲル化剤”. See Thickener / stabilizer / gelling agent for details.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.

This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.

Other substances used as thickener / stabilizer

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