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Polyethylene glycol

Polyethylene glycol suppliers and sourcing guide

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a family of polymers made by reacting ethylene oxide with water or ethylene glycol and sold by average molecular weight. Low grades such as PEG 400 are clear liquids, middle grades are soft pastes, and grades from about PEG 1000 up are waxy solids supplied as flakes or powder. Brands buy it as a tablet binder, coating plasticizer and lubricant, as a solvent or fill base in softgels, and as a humectant and base in cosmetics.

See suppliersWhat to ask for on the COA
Also known as
PEG · Macrogol · Polyoxyethylene · PEG 3350 · E1521
Facts checked
November 2026

Forms and grades of polyethylene glycol

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

  • Liquid grades

    PEG 200 to 600, used as solvents and softgel fill vehicles.

  • Solid grades

    PEG 1000 to 8000 as flakes or powder, used as binders, lubricants, coating plasticizers and ointment bases.

  • Pharmaceutical grade

    NF or Ph. Eur. (macrogol) grades with limits for ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and ethylene oxide.

  • Food and cosmetic grades

    Food grades made to 21 CFR 172.820 and cosmetic grades labeled by INCI name, such as PEG-8.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Identity
IR spectrum and appearance consistent with the grade.
Average molecular weight
Calculated from hydroxyl value by titration, with viscosity as a second check.
Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol
Combined content by GC; US food-grade PEG is limited to 0.2 percent.
Ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane
Residual ethylene oxide and dioxane by headspace GC against the monograph or buyer limits.
Water and pH
Water by Karl Fischer and pH of a solution.
Heavy metals
Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS against the supplier specification or the buyer's own limits.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Store in closed containers in a cool, dry place; liquid grades absorb water from air and solid grades can soften if stored warm. PEG can slowly form peroxides and aldehydes on exposure to air and heat, so supplier shelf life applies and older stock is retested.

Lots and expiry dates

Average molecular weight and glycol impurities vary within each grade. Record the actual molecular weight, EG and DEG results per lot, and confirm every lot has a COA with those tests.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

  • 21 CFR 172.820 defines the food additive as an addition polymer of ethylene oxide and water with a mean molecular weight of 200 to 9,500, containing no more than 0.2 percent total ethylene and diethylene glycols.

    Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • 21 CFR 172.820 permits it as a coating, binder, plasticizing agent and/or lubricant in tablets used for food, except in milk or preparations for addition to milk.

    Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • Health Canada's List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Accepted Uses allows polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 3000-9000 Da) as a tablet binder in L-lysine tablets at up to 7.0%.

    Source: canada.ca (opens in a new tab)

  • Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database entry for macrogol 3350 sets an oral upper limit of 10 mg/kg body weight daily, citing JECFA 1979, as a combined limit for all types of polyethylene glycol.

    Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Polyethylene glycol suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking polyethylene glycol suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of polyethylene glycol can brands buy?

Common forms include liquid grades, solid grades, pharmaceutical grade and food and cosmetic grades. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for polyethylene glycol include?

Expect identity, average molecular weight, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, water and pH and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should polyethylene glycol be stored?

Store in closed containers in a cool, dry place; liquid grades absorb water from air and solid grades can soften if stored warm. PEG can slowly form peroxides and aldehydes on exposure to air and heat, so supplier shelf life applies and older stock is retested.

What is the regulatory status of polyethylene glycol?

21 CFR 172.820 defines the food additive as an addition polymer of ethylene oxide and water with a mean molecular weight of 200 to 9,500, containing no more than 0.2 percent total ethylene and diethylene glycols. 21 CFR 172.820 permits it as a coating, binder, plasticizing agent and/or lubricant in tablets used for food, except in milk or preparations for addition to milk. Health Canada's List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Accepted Uses allows polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 3000-9000 Da) as a tablet binder in L-lysine tablets at up to 7.0%. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database entry for macrogol 3350 sets an oral upper limit of 10 mg/kg body weight daily, citing JECFA 1979, as a combined limit for all types of polyethylene glycol.

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