Dimetil polisiloksan

Detailed information

What it is & how it is made

A silicone polymer (polydimethylsiloxane) made entirely by chemical synthesis, consisting of a silicon-oxygen backbone with methyl groups attached. In food it acts as an anti-foaming agent.

Where it is used

Used to prevent or reduce foaming in products such as frying oils and fats, jam and marmalade production, beverages, confectionery and chewing gum. It is authorised in the lists of EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives.

Health note

In its 2020 re-evaluation (EFSA Journal 2020;18(5):6107) EFSA derived an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 17 mg/kg body weight per day, applying an uncertainty factor of 100 to the NOAEL of 1,742 mg/kg body weight per day from a 26-month rat study; this replaces the ADI of 1.5 mg/kg established by the SCF in 1990. The Panel reported that the substance is absorbed only to a very limited extent from the gastrointestinal tract and is largely excreted unchanged, that there is no concern for genotoxicity, and that exposure estimates in all scenarios did not exceed the ADI.

Halal assessment

Production is entirely synthetic (silicone chemistry); no animal input is reported in the EFSA opinion. Carriers or processing aids in the final product may differ between manufacturers, so consult the manufacturer's halal certificate for a definitive answer.