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 to soften dough and make it easier to stretch and process. Commercial L-cysteine can be produced by several manufacturing routes and from different raw materials.
Why BOTIA flags it
L-cysteine is an amino acid that softens bread dough and makes it easier to stretch. It can be obtained by fermentation, synthesis or from keratin-rich materials such as feathers; historically it was also produced from human hair, a source that is now expressly prohibited in the EU. The label does not say which process or raw material was used. JECFA evaluated it as a flavouring agent, but not as a flour-treatment agent.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E920, L-cysteine and closely related declared names.
- Explain that E920 can have different manufacturing routes and source materials, including historically documented keratin sources, without assuming that a specific product is animal-derived.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine from the ingredient list whether a particular E920 was made by fermentation, synthesis or from a keratin-derived raw material.
- Determine the biological source of a specific product when the manufacturer does not disclose it.