Performance Additives

The food and beverage industry requires strict compliance to regulations. Our fumed silica food additives can act as carriers, flavor masking, anti-settling, thickening, anti-caking and oil substitution agents.

Our high purity food additives, CAB-O-SIL® M-5F and EH-5F hydrophilic fumed silicas, are odorless and can be added to components without affecting taste or color. In addition, they can improve process efficiency, final product texture, and storage stability, as well as reduce caloric content. These products are in compliance with applicable European and United States regulations regarding food additives, and are Kosher and Halal certified. 

  • Carrier, flavor masking agent. CAB-O-SIL food-grade fumed silica adsorbs liquids to produce dry powders that can be easily mixed with other solids. At higher concentrations, CAB-O-SIL fumed silica can act as a flavor masking agent to facilitate the formulation of fortified/nutritious foods.
  • Microencapsulation. CAB-O-SIL food-grade fumed silica encapsulates volatile compounds, reducing evaporation rates. This can increase the shelf life of flavors and reduce costly losses due to flavor change in the final product.
  • Spray drying aid. CAB-O-SIL food-grade fumed silica can reduce clogs in the spray dryer atomizer and decrease the amount of product sticking to equipment walls. This thereby delivers higher powder recovery, improvements in drying efficiency and increased throughput.
  • Lipid substitution. CAB-O-SIL food-grade fumed silica facilitates the substitution of fat contained in foods by providing a more homogeneous lipid distribution to enhance the fat's effectiveness and acting as an effective stabilizer of Pickering emulsions that replaces fat fractions.
  • Thickening, anti-settling and emulsification. CAB-O-SIL food-grade fumed silica is an effective thickening, emulsification, gelling and anti-settling agent, due to its ability to form a network and hold heavier ingredients in place. Its low sensitivity to temperature and pH makes it an attractive replacement for other stabilizers and viscosity control agents.
  • Free flow, transparency and storage stability. CAB-O-SIL food-grade fumed silica acts as a spacer and moisture adsorbent. It reduces lump formation and crystallization while facilitating free flow, exact dosing and storage stability.

Additional benefits include:

  • Liquid adsorption 
  • Anti-settling 
  • Improved flow 
  • Improved dispensability 
  • Increased storage stability 
  • Improved aesthetic appeal 
  • Liquid thickening 
  • Microencapsulation 
  • Transparency 
  • Conditioning agent 
  • Increased drying rates 
  • Flavor masking 
  • Lipid substitution 
  • Improved process efficiency

Regulatory framework and compliance elements

Compliance with European Union (EU) and United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations

Our CAB-O-SIL M-5F and EH-5F fumed silica complies with requirements laid out in EU Food Additive Regulations, which include: Approved food additive; E551 purity testing*; Registered manufacturer; Food contact packaging; Food additive labeling; and HACCP certification. Additional features not required by regulation include Halal and Kosher. *EU E551 specification is in line with purity criteria laid out in the General Standard for Food Additive of the International Codex Alimentarius

Food grade statement abstract

CAB-O-SIL M-5F and EH-5F fumed silicas are high purity food additives in compliance with applicable EU and U.S. food additive regulations. The food grade statement indicates product origin and conditions of use according to EU regulations.

Notice and disclaimer

Buyer assumes full responsibility for testing and determination of suitability of a Cabot product for buyer's intended application or use according to the applicable food requirements. This information is provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. No guarantee or warranty as to this information, or any product to which it relates, is given or implied.