Dimethylpolysiloxane

What this is

Dimethylpolysiloxane (E 900 / INS 900a) is a silicone polymer used mostly as an antifoaming agent, especially where bubbling interferes with processing or frying. U.S., Canadian, Codex, EU, and Australia/New Zealand sources treat it as permitted only under conditions such as food-category limits, residue caps, or good-manufacturing-practice use. The strongest modern review found very limited absorption after oral intake, no genotoxicity concern, and no systemic adverse effects in tested species; EFSA set an ADI of 17 mg/kg body weight per day and estimated food-additive exposures below that value. JECFA keeps a lower ADI of 0–1.5 mg/kg body weight, showing that authorities do not use identical numerical margins, but this has not produced a broad ban in the reviewed jurisdictions. The remaining concern is narrow: animal corneal findings were judged local contact effects rather than systemic toxicity, and EFSA recommended tighter specifications for polymer size, cyclic siloxanes, and copper residues. For consumers, this is a low-concern additive when used within legal limits, not a nutrient or ingredient with a demonstrated health benefit.

Safety Review

The critical endpoints experts review in safety assessments. This is not a prediction of harm.

EFSA’s 2020 review found very limited oral absorption, no genotoxicity concern, and no systemic adverse effects across tested species; its exposure estimates for food-additive uses were below the ADI it established. Older JECFA evaluations retain a lower ADI, and rat studies reported corneal changes, but EFSA judged those eye findings to be local contact effects from feed or feces rather than evidence of systemic harm after eating it. The most concrete remaining issue is quality and exposure control: authorities limit food uses, and EFSA recommended specifications for molecular-weight range, cyclic siloxanes, and copper residues.

No safety review endpoints are listed for this ingredient yet.