E958 - Glycyrrhizin

At a glance

• What it is: The main sweet-tasting component of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza species), used as a sweetener and flavoring.
• Taste: Very sweet, with a lasting licorice note.
• Where it’s used: Licorice candies, flavored drinks, and some herbal teas and syrups.
• Other names you may see: Glycyrrhizic acid, ammonium glycyrrhizinate.
• Safety: Approved in the EU for listed uses; large intakes can raise blood pressure or lower potassium in sensitive people.

Why is Glycyrrhizin added to food?

Food makers use glycyrrhizin to sweeten and to deliver the classic licorice flavor. In the European Union, glycyrrhizic acid and its ammonium salt are authorized as food additives under E958 for specific categories of foods and beverages.¹

What foods contain Glycyrrhizin?

You will most often find glycyrrhizin in:

• Black licorice candies and pastilles
• Herbal teas or drinks flavored with licorice root
• Certain syrups and flavored liqueurs with a licorice profile

In the EU, foods containing glycyrrhizinic acid or its ammonium salt must say “contains licorice” when levels exceed set thresholds; higher levels require the added advice that people with hypertension should avoid excessive consumption. This information must appear near the ingredient list or product name.²

What can replace Glycyrrhizin?

Depending on the recipe, common alternatives include:

• High‑intensity sweeteners with little or no calories: acesulfame K, sucralose, steviol glycosides, neotame, advantame
• Sugar alcohols for bulk and mild sweetness: sorbitol, xylitol
• Classic tabletop sweeteners: saccharin

If the licorice flavor is needed, a separate licorice extract or anise-like flavor may be used along with another sweetener.

How is Glycyrrhizin made?

Glycyrrhizin is obtained from licorice roots (most commonly Glycyrrhiza glabra) by extracting with water or alcohol and then purifying. In some food applications, it is converted to the ammonium salt (ammonium glycyrrhizinate) to improve solubility and handling. These materials are evaluated together in the EU as E958.¹ Chemically, glycyrrhizin is a triterpenoid glycoside, which explains both its strong taste and its foaming/surfactant-like behavior in some formulas.³

Is Glycyrrhizin safe to eat?

Regulators in the EU have evaluated glycyrrhizic acid and its ammonium salt (E958) and authorize their use in specified foods under set conditions. Safety was assessed as part of the re‑evaluation of approved additives.¹ In the United States, an ammoniated form is permitted as a flavoring substance in foods under federal regulations.⁴

Too much glycyrrhizin can cause potassium levels in the body to fall, which may lead to irregular heart rhythm and high blood pressure, especially in older adults or those with certain health conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned about overconsumption of black licorice because of these effects.⁵

Does Glycyrrhizin have any benefits?

From a food point of view, glycyrrhizin provides a strong licorice flavor and a long‑lasting sweetness. It can help round out flavors in candies and beverages and may reduce the need for added sugars in products designed to have a licorice profile.

Who should avoid Glycyrrhizin?

Certain people are more likely to have problems from glycyrrhizin and should limit or avoid it:

• Those with high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease⁶
• People with low potassium or on drugs that affect potassium (such as some diuretics) or that interact with heart rhythm (such as digoxin)⁶
• People taking corticosteroids (which may compound effects on electrolytes)⁶
• Pregnant people, who are generally advised to avoid licorice products with glycyrrhizin⁶

If you enjoy licorice‑flavored products, follow serving sizes and talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of the conditions above. The FDA also advises caution with large amounts of black licorice candy.⁵

Myths & facts

• Myth: “All licorice candy is the same.” Fact: Many “red licorice” products contain no licorice; look for “licorice,” “glycyrrhizin,” “glycyrrhizic acid,” “ammonium glycyrrhizinate,” or “E958” on labels to identify glycyrrhizin.
• Myth: “Only candy contains glycyrrhizin.” Fact: Some flavored drinks, herbal teas, and syrups can also include licorice ingredients.
• Myth: “A little extra licorice is harmless for everyone.” Fact: Some people are more sensitive due to health conditions or medicines and should limit or avoid it.

Glycyrrhizin in branded foods

• How it appears on labels:
  • EU: usually “E958” or “glycyrrhizin/glycyrrhizic acid” (sometimes “ammonium glycyrrhizinate”).
  • U.S.: typically as part of “natural flavor,” “licorice extract,” or “ammoniated glycyrrhizin” when used as a flavoring. Check the full ingredient list.⁴
• Where you might see it:
  • Black licorice sweets, lozenges, and pastilles
  • Herbal teas featuring licorice
  • Licorice‑style beverages and syrups

If you need to avoid glycyrrhizin, scan ingredient lists for those terms or, in the EU, for the E‑number “E958.”

References

Footnotes

1. Re‑evaluation of glycyrrhizic acid and its ammonium salt (E 958) as a food additive — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5238 ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III: Special labelling requirements for foods containing glycyrrhizinic acid — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32011R1169 ↩

3. Glycyrrhizic acid — PubChem (NIH). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/14982 ↩

4. 21 CFR 172.510 Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors — U.S. eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-F/section-172.510 ↩ ↩²

5. Black Licorice: Trick or Treat? — U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/black-licorice-trick-or-treat ↩ ↩²

6. Licorice Root — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/licorice-root ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴