Vegetable glycerin
Also appears on labels as: glycerin, glycerin (vegetable), coconut glycerin, d-panthenol, panthenol, panthenol (vitamin b5)
A sugar alcohol derived from plant oils, syrupy and mildly sweet. Panthenol is a related conditioning humectant.
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- Where it comes from
- A by-product of soap and biodiesel manufacture, or purpose-made from vegetable oil.
- Why it's in the product
- Holds water so soft treats stay chewy and shampoos stay conditioning. In treats it is the clean-label alternative to propylene glycol.
- Safety and toxicity
- Safe and metabolized as a carbohydrate. It does carry calories, which is worth knowing if it sits high on a treat panel.
We make the longer argument about this one on the propylene glycol evidence page.
General reference, not veterinary advice. Dose, breed, and existing conditions change the answer, so talk to your vet before changing what your pet eats. Think we got this wrong? Tell us and we log it publicly.
Found in 127 scored products
Lowest scores first. Its presence here is not what drove those scores.
103 more scored products list this ingredient. Showing the 24 lowest-scoring.