L-Cysteine
E920
E920, INS 920, L-cysteine, L cysteine, cysteine, L-cysteine hydrochloride
What it is
An amino acid used as a flour-treatment agent and for other technological purposes. Commercial L-cysteine can be produced by different manufacturing routes and sources.
Why BOTIA flags it
BOTIA flags E920 because the explicit additive name can matter both technologically and for source-sensitive dietary choices. The ingredient list can identify L-cysteine, but it normally cannot establish whether it was produced by fermentation, synthesis or from an animal-derived raw material.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E920, L-cysteine and closely related declared names.
- Show the texture/E-number context and explain that source may matter without labelling a generic E920 declaration as animal-derived.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine the manufacturing route or biological source from the generic name alone.
- Certify vegetarian, vegan, halal or other source-dependent suitability without source information.