Is gluconate ferreux e579 vegan?

Gluconate ferreux is the French term for ferrous gluconate, a food additive cataloged under the European number E579. It is an iron salt of gluconic acid used primarily as a color retention agent and nutritional iron fortifier. Food processors commonly add it to canned ripe olives to darken and stabilize their black color, and it is also found in iron-fortified breakfast cereals, nutritional beverages, and dietary supplements.

This substance is synthesized by neutralizing gluconic acid with an inorganic iron source, such as ferrous carbonate or elemental iron powder. The gluconic acid component is produced industrially through the microbial fermentation of glucose, which is typically derived from plant starches like corn using fungi such as Aspergillus niger. Because the production process relies solely on mineral, plant, and microbial sources without any animal-derived raw materials or animal processing aids, gluconate ferreux E579 is vegan.