Other additives · Food additive

L-cysteine (E920)

Updated October 2, 2026

L-cysteine (E920) is a food additive in the “other additives” group. It appears in 2,044 products in our database, 654 of them sold in the US.

Quick facts

Also known as
E920
E-number
E920
Function
Other additives
Found in
2,044 products (654 sold in the US)

Foods that commonly contain L-cysteine

Breads 1% · 193
Pizzas 2% · 162
Wheat flatbreads 14% · 151
Frozen foods 1% · 115
Sandwiches 1% · 90
Wraps 11% · 43
Bread rolls 4% · 35
Puff pastry sheets 11% · 33

Share of published products in each category whose ingredient list includes L-cysteine.

Popular products with L-cysteine

L-cysteine-free alternatives

Popular products from the same categories that don't list L-cysteine and score Nutri-Score A–C.

How to spot L-cysteine on a label

Look for any of these names in the ingredient list:

L-cysteineE920

Related additives

Frequently asked questions

What foods contain L-cysteine?

In our database, L-cysteine most often appears in breads, pizzas, wheat flatbreads and frozen foods.

How many products contain L-cysteine?

2,044 published products on Foodmetria list L-cysteine, including 654 sold in the United States. Counts come from ingredient lists in Open Food Facts and update daily.

Product data: Open Food Facts (ODbL), updated daily. Additive information is for general education and is not medical advice. Always check the package label. Our methodology.