Is disodium 5'-guanylate vegan?

Disodium 5'-guanylate is a food additive used as a flavor enhancer, often identified by the European additive code E627. It is a sodium salt of guanylic acid that works synergistically with monosodium glutamate to produce an umami taste. Food manufacturers commonly add it to savory processed items such as flavored potato chips, instant noodles, canned soups, snack seasonings, and commercial sauces.

disodium 5'-guanylate is possibly vegan because it can be derived from either plant or animal origins. While it is frequently produced commercially through the microbial fermentation of plant sugars or tapioca starch, it can also be extracted from animal tissues, particularly dried fish such as sardines. Product labels generally do not state which manufacturing method was used. A vegan certification on the packaging or direct confirmation from the manufacturer is necessary to determine whether a specific product uses a plant-derived version.