"You are amazing, this has saved me so much time when grocery shopping!"
— Austin, a user who reached out with feedback
"It's been a great tool since starting my journey! You take a pic of the nutrition/ingredients, and it'll warn you of anything questionable or not vegan. 😁"
— Ashe, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
"Use a vegan app when you go shopping, I use WhatsVegan."
— Dóra, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
Learn more
"You are amazing, this has saved me so much time when grocery shopping!"
— Austin, a user who reached out with feedback
"It's been a great tool since starting my journey! You take a pic of the nutrition/ingredients, and it'll warn you of anything questionable or not vegan. 😁"
— Ashe, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
"Use a vegan app when you go shopping, I use WhatsVegan."
— Dóra, a Vegan For Beginners Facebook Group member
So, what is e420ii?
E420ii is the food additive code for sorbitol syrup, a liquid sugar alcohol used primarily as a sweetener, humectant, and texturizer. It is commercially produced through the catalytic hydrogenation of glucose, which is extracted from plant starches such as corn, wheat, tapioca, or potatoes. This ingredient is frequently listed on labels for sugar-free confectionery, chewing gum, packaged baked goods, dessert toppings, and oral hygiene items such as toothpaste.
E420ii is vegan because its production relies entirely on plant materials and industrial synthesis. The starting feedstocks are agricultural crops, and the chemical conversion of glucose to sorbitol utilizes mineral catalysts rather than animal-derived substances. Because no animal byproducts, animal enzymes, or bone char are involved at any stage of manufacturing or refining, sorbitol syrup has no animal origin and is suitable for vegans.
We've built a vegan ingredients scanner that classifies food ingredients as "vegan", "non-vegan", or "potentially vegan".
It allows you to avoid non-vegan ingredients - just take a picture of a product's ingredient list, and the app tells you if the product is vegan or not.