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Vegetable glycerin is one of the most widely used ingredients across cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food. Long bought on price alone, it is becoming a compliance issue: palm-derived glycerin is among the products covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation, which applies to large and medium-sized companies from 30 December 2026. Origin, grades, documents: what buyers now need to ask for.
A co-product of vegetable oils
Glycerin (glycerol, CAS 56-81-5, INCI Glycerin, food additive E422) is obtained when oils and fats are processed: saponification, splitting into fatty acids or transesterification. It is then purified by distillation. Depending on the plant, the starting oil may be palm, palm kernel, coconut, rapeseed, sunflower or soya. The finished product looks the same; the origin changes the buyer’s obligations.
The Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and glycerin
Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 requires companies placing certain products on the EU market to carry out due diligence: proof that the material does not come from land deforested after 31 December 2020, geolocation of the plots, and compliance with the laws of the country of production. Its Annex I covers glycerol with a purity of at least 95% (customs code ex 2905 45). Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102, in force since 18 September 2026, specifies that only glycerol made from oil palm is covered, and excludes glycerol intended for the manufacture of medicinal products. It adds crude glycerol, glycerol waters and lyes made from oil palm (customs code ex 1520 00) from 30 December 2027.
- Application: 30 December 2026 for large and medium-sized companies, six months later for micro and small companies, following the revision adopted by the Council on 18 December 2025.
- In practice: palm-based glycerin will have to come with the traceability data required by the regulation. Rapeseed or sunflower glycerin is not a product listed in Annex I, provided its origin is documented.
RSPO certification remains a useful tool for palm, but on its own it does not replace the due diligence statement required by the EUDR.
Choosing the right grade
| Use | Grade | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Food | E422 | Specifications in Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 |
| Pharmaceuticals, devices | Ph. Eur. or USP | European Pharmacopoeia or USP monographs |
| Cosmetics | Cosmetic, often Ph. Eur. | Supplier specification and product safety report |
For E422, the European Food Safety Authority re-evaluated the additive in 2017 and published a follow-up opinion in 2022. It recommends lowering the limits for arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium, setting a numerical limit for acrolein, and specifying that E422 is obtained from vegetable oils and fats and purified by distillation. Buyers would do well to ask now for values in line with these recommendations.
In pharmaceuticals, the USP monograph requires a test for diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol: buyers in the sector check this systematically.
Organic glycerin
Glycerin can be certified organic if it comes from organic oils and an authorised process. In organic food production, the use of E422 is governed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1165: check that the conditions of use cover your application before starting production.
The buyer checklist
- Source oil declared in writing (palm, rapeseed, sunflower, coconut, soya) and country of production.
- For palm origin: EUDR traceability data and, where applicable, RSPO certificate.
- Grade suited to the use (E422, Ph. Eur., USP) and glycerol content (at least 99.5% for Ph. Eur. grade).
- Batch certificate of analysis: glycerol content, water, sulphated ash, chlorides, metals, and diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol for USP grade.
- Organic certificate, valid, for organic glycerin.
- Packaging compatible with your production: drum, barrel or IBC.
Proforma Tropical glycerins
We offer four vegetable glycerins, three of them palm-free, which simplifies compliance with the deforestation regulation:
| Reference | Source oil | Quality | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic vegetable glycerin | Organic linseed, palm-free (India) | Glycerol content ≥ 98.0% | Certified organic, COSMOS certified 94.76% organic, NATRUE conform |
| Vegetable glycerin Ph. Eur. | Rapeseed, palm and palm-kernel free (made in France) | Ph. Eur., assay ≥ 99.5% | Conventional, non-GM rapeseed |
| Pure rapeseed vegetable glycerin | Rapeseed, palm and palm-kernel free (made mainly in Europe) | Ph. Eur., assay ≥ 99.5% | Conventional, COSMOS-approved, E422 compliant, kosher and halal, non-GMO |
| Codex vegetable glycerin 99.5% Ph. Eur. | Mixed vegetable oils, including palm (made mainly in Europe) | Ph. Eur., assay ≥ 99.5% | Conventional, not RSPO, E422 compliant, kosher and halal, non-GMO |
For the palm-based reference, the traceability data required by the EUDR are part of the quotation. Each data sheet sets out the limits for diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, metals and halogenated compounds.
Frequently asked questions from buyers
Is glycerin covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation?
Yes, glycerin made from oil palm: Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 covers palm-derived glycerol with a purity of at least 95% (code ex 2905 45), and crude glycerol (code ex 1520 00) from 30 December 2027. The regulation applies to large and medium-sized companies from 30 December 2026, and six months later to micro and small companies.
Is rapeseed glycerin outside the EUDR?
Rapeseed is not one of the commodities covered by the regulation. Rapeseed or sunflower glycerin is therefore not concerned, provided the supplier documents its origin.
What is the difference between E422, Ph. Eur. and USP grades?
E422 meets the food additive specifications of Regulation (EU) No 231/2012; Ph. Eur. and USP grades meet the European and US pharmacopoeia monographs, with additional tests, including diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol testing for USP.
Do you offer palm-free glycerin?
Yes, three: an organic vegetable glycerin made from linseed oil, a Ph. Eur. glycerin made from rapeseed oil and a COSMOS-approved pure rapeseed glycerin. A fourth, codex-grade reference made from mixed oils including palm is also available.
Sourcing organic vegetable glycerin for a formulation or a listing? Tell us the grade, volume and packaging you need: we reply within 48 hours with a quotation, the technical data sheet, the certificate of analysis and, for organic references, a valid organic certificate. Samples are available, with a flat contribution to shipping costs.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on the making available on the Union market of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation, Annex I, EUR-Lex.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2102 of 13 July 2026 amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, EUR-Lex.
- Council of the European Union, press release of 18 December 2025 on the targeted revision and postponement of the deforestation regulation.
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives, EUR-Lex.
- EFSA, re-evaluation of glycerol (E 422) as a food additive (2017) and follow-up opinion, EFSA Journal 2022, 20(6):7353.
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1165 authorising certain products and substances for use in organic production, EUR-Lex.