E1203 - Polyvinyl alcohol
What it is and how it is used
Polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA, is a synthetic polymer made by polymerising vinyl acetate and then hydrolysing the acetate groups away. It is the same family of material as the dissolvable film around a laundry capsule, and it behaves in food the same way it does there: it forms a clear, tough film that dissolves in water.
Its authorised food use is narrow and specific — a coating for food supplement tablets and capsules. The film seals the tablet against moisture, masks taste, and holds a capsule shell together until it reaches the stomach. It is not used as an ingredient in ordinary foods.
Foods commonly containing it
Coatings on food supplement tablets and capsules. It is not used in conventional foods and will rarely be seen on a grocery ingredient list.
Safety summary
Polyvinyl alcohol is authorised in Great Britain as E 1203, with its use restricted to food supplements.
JECFA allocated an acceptable daily intake of 50 mg per kg of body weight per day. EFSA has assessed PVA as a coating agent for food supplement tablets and capsules and concluded that consumption as specified is not of safety concern. The polymer is very large and is not absorbed from the gut, which is the basis for that conclusion.