Is e960 vegan?

E960 is the European food additive code for steviol glycosides, commonly known as stevia leaf extract. This high-intensity sweetener is obtained from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is native to South America. To produce it, manufacturers steep the dried leaves in hot water, then filter, clarify, and crystallize the liquid to isolate the sweet compounds, primarily stevioside and rebaudioside A.

Food manufacturers use E960 across a wide variety of low-calorie and sugar-free items. It is commonly found in diet soft drinks, flavored waters, confectionery, chewing gums, jams, yogurts, plant-based dairy alternatives, tabletop sweetening packets, and packaged baked goods.

E960 is vegan because its source material is entirely botanical. The standard extraction and purification methods rely on water, alcohol, or synthetic resins to concentrate the natural sweet molecules, requiring no animal-derived substances or animal byproducts at any stage of production. Because no animal ingredients are involved in its source or processing, E960 is suitable for a vegan diet.