E558 - Bentonite

At a glance

• What it is: A purified clay mainly made of the mineral montmorillonite
• What it does: Helps clarify beverages and can keep powders free‑flowing
• Where you’ll see it: Winemaking and some filtered juices; occasionally in other foods
• Dietary notes: Mineral-based, vegan, and not a common allergen
• Labeling: May appear as “bentonite” or “E558”; when used only as a processing aid, it might not be listed on the label

Why is Bentonite added to food?

Bentonite helps remove haze‑forming proteins and particles from beverages, so they look clear and stable over time.¹ It can also be used in foods to perform technical functions under good manufacturing practice, rather than to add flavor or nutrition.²

What foods contain Bentonite?

• Wine and grape juice, where it is used for “fining” to improve clarity before bottling.¹
• Other foods where a mineral processing aid is useful, applied at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice.²

When bentonite is used only to process a food (for example, to clarify a beverage before filtration), it may be considered an “incidental additive” and does not have to be declared on the ingredient list if it is present at insignificant levels and has no technical effect in the final product.³

What can replace Bentonite?

Depending on the job, food makers may choose other additives:

• For anti‑caking and free‑flow: silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, or tricalcium phosphate
• For beverage clarification: gelatine in some wines and juices, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), or cellulose‑based fining aids

How is Bentonite made?

Food‑grade bentonite is a purified, natural clay defined in U.S. regulations as a “colloidal, hydrated aluminum silicate.”² In the EU, E558 must meet detailed composition and purity specifications (for example, limits on heavy metals and defined mineral content) before it can be sold as a food additive.⁴

Is Bentonite safe to eat?

In the United States, bentonite is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) when used in accordance with current good manufacturing practice for its intended technical effects.² In the European Union, bentonite is an approved food additive (E558) with official specifications that manufacturers must meet to ensure safety and quality.⁴

Does Bentonite have any benefits?

Bentonite’s benefits are technological, not nutritional. In beverages, it improves clarity and stability by pulling out proteins and haze‑forming particles, which helps the product look and taste consistent on the shelf.¹ In powders, bentonite can help maintain a free‑flowing texture when used appropriately under good manufacturing practice.²

Who should avoid Bentonite?

• If you are advised to avoid mineral‑based additives or have specific medical dietary restrictions, speak with a healthcare professional.
• Do not consume non‑food‑grade clays; only products made with food‑grade additives that meet regulatory specifications should be used in foods.⁴

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Bentonite is a detox superfood.” Fact: In foods, bentonite is a processing/quality aid used in tiny amounts; it is not added for health benefits or to treat any condition.²
• Myth: “It stays in your wine.” Fact: Bentonite is used during production and the solids are removed by racking or filtration; when only incidental traces remain without function, labeling is not required.¹³
• Myth: “Any bentonite is fine for food.” Fact: Food‑grade E558 must meet strict identity and purity specs; industrial or cosmetic clays are not substitutes for regulated food additives.⁴

Bentonite in branded foods

You’re most likely to encounter bentonite behind the scenes in:

• Bottled wines and some clarified fruit juices, where it is used during production and typically not listed as an ingredient.¹³
• Occasional uses in other foods for technical purposes, applied within good manufacturing practice.²

References

Footnotes

1. Materials authorized for the treatment of wine and juice — TTB (eCFR), 27 CFR 24.246. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-27/part-24/section-24.246 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Bentonite — FDA (eCFR), 21 CFR 184.1155. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-184/section-184.1155 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

3. Food labeling; exemptions for incidental additives — FDA (eCFR), 21 CFR 101.100. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-101/section-101.100 ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for food additives (E 558 Bentonite). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴