E1104 — Lipase
Why it’s used
A fat-splitting enzyme that hydrolyzes triglycerides into free fatty acids, mono- and diglycerides, and glycerol. Used to accelerate cheese ripening and develop piquant flavors in Italian-style, Romano, and blue cheeses, in dough conditioning, and in the interesterification of fats and oils. Sourced either from animal tissue (pregastric or pancreatic lipase from calves, kids, or lambs) or from fungal/bacterial fermentation (e.g., Rhizopus niveus, Aspergillus, Candida).
Other names
Lipase enzyme preparation, Triacylglycerol lipase, Glycerol ester hydrolase
Diet flags
Regulatory status
FDA affirms lipase preparations as GRAS by source — animal lipase under 21 CFR 184.1415 and fungal lipase from Rhizopus niveus under 21 CFR 184.1420 — with additional microbial sources cleared via GRAS notices. 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 "lipase"/E1104 legitimately covers both animal-tissue-derived enzyme (from young ruminants) and fungal/microbial fermentation products under separate FDA GRAS affirmations, vegan/vegetarian status genuinely depends on which source a given product uses. The EU classifies lipase as a food enzyme under Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008, distinct from the food additive Regulation 1333/2008, with no Union list of authorized food enzymes adopted yet — enzymes are marketed under transitional national provisions in the meantime. Source: eCFR 21 CFR 184.1415/184.1420 and European Commission food enzymes rules page, verified 2026-07-24.
The EU classifies lipase under the still-unfinished Union list of authorized food enzymes, so it is currently lawful only through transitional national provisions under Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 rather than a single EU-wide clearance — and, as on the US side, both animal-tissue and microbial/fungal lipase sources are in commercial use, so no single vegan/vegetarian answer applies to the generic category in either jurisdiction.
Found in these products
None of the products in our database currently contain E1104.