What it does
It can help a product stay soft or stop it drying out as quickly. Glycerin and glycerine are alternative names for the same additive.
Names you may see on the label
glycerol; glycerin; glycerine; E422; E 422
Where it showed up in our published study
In the published 10 October 2026 snapshot, glycerol appeared in protein bars and snacks (5).
Counts are per record and do not measure Irish sales or the whole market.
FoodSussed processing Level
FoodSussed can read glycerol as a humectant marker. That describes a processing function, not the food's overall nutrition.
Health and safety disclaimer
This page makes no health or safety verdict. EU authorisation is conditional by food category and may include limits or other restrictions; it is not unlimited permission in every food.
One permitted-use example
The EU list permits glycerol in cocoa and chocolate products, subject to the category conditions.
The E422 example links to an official EUR-Lex permitted-use source checked 24 October 2026. The European Commission food-additives database was checked on the same date for glycerol.
Questions people ask
How can I recognise glycerol on a food label?
Glycerol may be declared as glycerol; glycerin; glycerine; E422; E 422, including the number E422.
Where did glycerol appear in the published study?
The largest published product-type group for glycerol was protein bars and snacks (5 of 5 matched records).
Sources
- European Commission food-additives database (checked 24 October 2026)
- EU permitted-use source for the example above (checked 24 October 2026)
- Published 10 October study JSON used for the glycerol product-type counts