Methyl cellulose (E461)
Updated October 2, 2026
Methyl cellulose (E461) is a food additive in the “emulsifiers & thickeners” group. It appears in 5,494 products in our database, 1,502 of them sold in the US.
Quick facts
- Also known as
- E461
- E-number
- E461
- Function
- Emulsifiers & thickeners
- Found in
- 5,494 products (1,502 sold in the US)
Foods that commonly contain Methyl cellulose
Share of published products in each category whose ingredient list includes Methyl cellulose.
Popular products with Methyl cellulose
c NOVA 4
d NOVA 4
d NOVA 4
c NOVA 4
a NOVA 4
a NOVA 4
c NOVA 4
e NOVA 4
c NOVA 4
a NOVA 4 Methyl cellulose-free alternatives
Popular products from the same categories that don't list Methyl cellulose and score Nutri-Score A–C.
a NOVA 4
a NOVA 4
c NOVA 3
a
a NOVA 4 How to spot Methyl cellulose on a label
Look for any of these names in the ingredient list:
Related additives
Frequently asked questions
What foods contain Methyl cellulose?
In our database, Methyl cellulose most often appears in meat analogues, frozen foods, vegetarian sausages and pizzas.
How many products contain Methyl cellulose?
5,494 published products on Foodmetria list Methyl cellulose, including 1,502 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.