E413 – Tragacanth | Safety, Side Effects & Uses of This Natural Gum

Quick analysis summary about E413 – Tragacanth food additive

Bottom line about E413

E413 tragacanth is a natural plant gum used mainly as a thickener, stabiliser, and texturiser. The current overall picture is broadly reassuring, so the final grade is GREEN – SAFE. The main realistic downside at higher intake is temporary digestive discomfort such as fullness or faster bowel movement, not a clear toxic effect from normal food use.[1-3]

Why this grade for E413

This grade is based on a mixed but overall reassuring evidence base. EFSA concluded that there is no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake and no safety concern at reported uses and use levels, while older human and animal data did not show a convincing carcinogenic, genotoxic, or reproductive hazard signal.[1-4]

Who may want to limit or avoid E413

Most people do not need to avoid E413. People who are sensitive to added gums, fibre-like thickeners, bloating, or loose stools may prefer to keep intake lower if they notice digestive discomfort, especially from products that contain several gums together.

Common uses and where E413 appears

E413 is used in some sauces, dressings, fillings, confectionery, bakery products, dessert systems, and speciality foods where a stable texture is needed. It is less common today than gums such as xanthan or guar, but it is still used where a particular viscosity and suspension effect are useful.

E413 source or origin

Tragacanth is a natural dried exudate gum obtained from certain Astragalus species, especially shrubs from the Middle East and nearby regions. It is a plant-derived polysaccharide material rather than a synthetic additive.

Intake note for E413

No numerical ADI is normally considered necessary for E413. EFSA concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and no safety concern at reported uses and use levels, while JECFA also lists tragacanth gum with an ADI described as not specified.[1]

Is E413 banned anywhere?

E413 remains authorised in the European Union and is affirmed as GRAS in the United States for specified food uses. No clear major food-use ban was identified in the reviewed jurisdictions, and current UK and Canadian sources also indicate continuing permission in at least some food uses.

Safety grading GREEN – SAFE

E413 is graded GREEN – SAFE because the available evidence does not show a recurring serious hazard at normal food-use exposure. The toxicology database is not especially modern, but the overall pattern remains reassuring: no need for a numerical ADI in EFSA’s re-evaluation, no clear genotoxicity concern, no carcinogenicity signal in long-term mouse work, and good tolerance in a small human high-intake study.[1-4]

Study basis or key toxicological reasoning for E413

EFSA’s 2017 re-evaluation concluded that tragacanth is unlikely to be absorbed intact, is partly fermented by intestinal microbiota, and does not need a numerical ADI because there was no safety concern at reported uses and use levels.[1] In a human tolerance study, five adult male volunteers consumed 9.9 g/day for 21 days and the gum was well tolerated without adverse effects, even though that intake was high relative to normal food-additive exposure.[2] Anderson’s safety review also concluded that the available evidence supported food-additive safety under modern evaluation criteria.[3] In long-term mouse work, tragacanth gum was not carcinogenic in B6C3F1 mice at dietary levels up to 5%.[4] The main caveat is that much of the database is older and smaller than would now be preferred, so part of the reassurance comes from consistent review conclusions rather than a large modern human dataset.[1,3]

Side effects of E413 – Tragacanth food additive

Temporary fullness or digestive discomfort: like other gums, higher intake may cause a feeling of fullness, gas, or mild abdominal discomfort in some people.[1-3]
Possible faster bowel transit at high intake: very high amounts may act more like a bulky fibre source than a typical low-dose additive exposure.[1,3]
No clear serious toxicity signal at normal use: the main concerns are tolerance-related rather than evidence of organ toxicity, cancer, or reproductive harm from ordinary food exposure.[1-4]
Rare sensitivity remains theoretically possible: because tragacanth contains small protein fractions, sensitive individuals could theoretically react, but convincing oral food-use allergy evidence is limited.[1,3]

Should You Avoid E413 – Tragacanth food additive?

Most people do not need to avoid E413. It is one of the older natural gums with a broadly reassuring safety profile at normal use levels. The more practical reason to limit it is personal tolerance, especially if thickened products tend to cause bloating or digestive discomfort. For the general population, the current evidence supports a low-concern classification rather than a warning grade.[1-3]

Common uses of E413 – Tragacanth food additive

Sauces and dressings
Bakery fillings and decorative systems
Confectionery and sugar work
Desserts and texture-modified products
Specialty foods needing suspension or stable viscosity

Common names and synonyms of E413 – Tragacanth food additive

Tragacanth
Gum tragacanth
Tragacanth gum
Gum dragon
Astragalus gum
E413
INS 413

What is E413 – Tragacanth food additive?

E413 is a natural plant gum made from dried exudates of selected Astragalus shrubs. In food systems it works mainly as a thickener and stabiliser, helping water-rich mixtures hold their texture and reducing separation. It is part of the broader group of plant and microbial gums used to control flow, mouthfeel, and shelf stability.

Compared with more common modern gums, tragacanth is now relatively niche, partly because it is more variable and often more expensive. Even so, it still matters as a traditional hydrocolloid with a long food-use history. Safety discussions around E413 are therefore less about dramatic toxic effects and more about whether the older data are still good enough. Current major reviews say they are broadly adequate for a reassuring conclusion at normal food-use exposure.[1,3]

Where is E413 – Tragacanth food additive allowed (EU vs US)?

In the EU, E413 tragacanth remains an authorised food additive and EFSA’s 2017 re-evaluation did not identify a safety concern at reported uses and use levels.[1] In the US, gum tragacanth is affirmed as GRAS in 21 CFR 184.1351, with specific permitted use levels in several food categories.

E413 – Tragacanth