E1101 — Protease
Why it’s used
An umbrella term for protein-digesting (proteolytic) enzymes that cleave peptide bonds. Used for meat tenderizing, cheese ripening and flavor development, gluten modification in baking, chill-proofing beer, and producing protein hydrolysates. The specific enzyme sold under this generic name varies widely by product — it can be a bacterial or fungal protease, a plant enzyme such as papain, bromelain, or ficin, or an animal-derived enzyme such as pepsin, trypsin, or pancreatin.
Other names
Peptidase, Proteinase, Proteolytic enzyme
Diet flags
Regulatory status
FDA affirms specific protease preparations as GRAS individually by source — animal-derived trypsin/pancreatin, plant-derived bromelain (21 CFR 184.1024) and ficin, and various microbial proteases — rather than under one blanket "protease" listing. Source (2026-07-24)
Regulated as a food enzyme under Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008, not as a food additive; lawfully marketed under transitional national provisions pending the EU's still-unfinished Union list of authorized food enzymes. Source (2026-07-24)
Regulatory status by region
Because "protease"/E1101 covers enzymes from animal, plant, and microbial origin with different specific GRAS affirmations or GRAS notices, actual vegan/vegetarian status and the exact regulatory citation depend on which protease a given product actually uses — we cannot determine this generically. The EU regulates all these proteases as food enzymes under Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 rather than as food additives, with no Union list of authorized food enzymes adopted yet, so enzymes continue to be marketed under transitional national provisions. Source: FDA enzyme preparations partial list and European Commission food enzymes rules page, verified 2026-07-24.
The EU regulates protease under the still-unfinished Union list of authorized food enzymes, so lawful marketing currently relies on transitional national provisions under Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 rather than a single EU-wide clearance — and, as on the US side, sourcing (animal/plant/microbial) genuinely varies by product, so neither jurisdiction has one unified clearance covering all protease sources.
Found in these products
None of the products in our database currently contain E1101.