VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE
"Other Ingredients": Fillers, Binders, Colors, Sweeteners and Allergens
What the Other Ingredients list on a supplement label means, what US rules require it to show, and how to check fillers, binders, colors, sweeteners and allergens with your pharmacist.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Supplement FormulasWhat gets listed and how
FDA's labeling guide (April 2005, nonbinding) uses the term "ingredient" for the compounds used to make a supplement, including binders, colors, excipients, fillers, flavors and sweeteners. [2]| Type | What the FDA sources say |
|---|---|
| Fillers, binders, excipients | Must be included in the ingredient statement. [3] For example, a magnesium salt used as a binder is declared by its specific name in the list below the panel [3] |
| Order | Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance by weight [2] |
| Commonly declared examples | Gelatin, starch, stabilizers, preservatives and flavors [1] |
| Flavors | May be declared by specific names or by the terms "spice," "natural flavor" or "artificial flavor" [2] |
| Certified colors | Listed by specific or abbreviated name, such as "FD&C Red No. 40" or "Red 40" [2] |
| Preservatives | Listed by common name with a description of what it does [2] |
| Sources named inside the panel | If all source ingredients are in the panel and there are no other ingredients such as excipients or fillers, no separate list is needed [2] |
The heading is "Other Ingredients" when some ingredients were already named as sources in the panel. [2]
What the sources do not say
A binder or filler being listed does not tell you how much is present, whether it suits you, or whether it is needed. The sources we read give rules for declaring these ingredients, not safety verdicts for each one. For magnesium salts used as binders, we read only that they must be declared. We read no source on their health effects for this page, so we make no claim about them. If a specific ingredient worries you, ask a pharmacist or clinician.Allergens
A 2004 US law on allergen labeling begins from eight major foods or food groups, described in the law's findings as accounting for 90 percent of food allergies: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. [4] The law text also says a flavoring, coloring or incidental additive that is or contains a major food allergen is subject to the same labeling requirements. [4] The page we read is the 2004 law text. It does not say how the law applies to supplements, and it may not include later changes. So read the whole label and ask the maker if the label is unclear.If you or your child has a food allergy or celiac disease, check "Other Ingredients" and any "contains" statement, and ask your doctor or pharmacist. Do not rely on a "gluten-free" word alone; see claims checked.
Colors and titanium dioxide
Colors must be declared. [2] In the EU, EFSA (2021) concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. [5] The sources we read do not say whether any particular supplement contains it, or how US regulators treat it in supplements. If you want to avoid it, check the ingredient list for titanium dioxide.Sweeteners and gummies
Sweeteners are among the ingredients listed in "Other Ingredients." [1] An overdose of iron-containing or gummy products in a child is an emergency. If a child may have swallowed a multivitamin, iron product or gummy, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US) or 911, and see multivitamin, iron and gummy overdose: first steps.Frequently asked questions
What are "other ingredients" in a supplement?
Ingredients not listed in the Supplement Facts panel, such as fillers, binders, preservatives, sweeteners and flavorings. [1]
Do fillers and binders have to be on the label?
Yes. FDA's guide says binders, excipients and fillers must be included in the ingredient statement. [3]
Does "natural flavor" tell me what the flavor is?
No. The rules allow a label to say "natural flavor" or "artificial flavor" instead of naming the flavor. [2]
Can allergens be hidden in colors or flavors?
The 2004 law text says flavorings, colorings and incidental additives that contain a major food allergen are subject to the same labeling requirements. [4]
Is titanium dioxide in supplements unsafe?
EFSA concluded in 2021 that it can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. [5] Whether a given supplement contains it is something to check on its label.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety notes
- Allergies, celiac disease, kidney or liver disease, and diabetes can all make ingredient choices a matter for your care team. FDA advises talking to a doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional before using a supplement. [1]
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: ask before use; do not assume a "natural" list is safe. NCCIH says "natural" does not always mean "safe." [6]
- Product quality: see quality testing and certifications and reading supplement labels.
References
- FDA: Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements (content current 27 Aug 2026). Read 2026-10-23.
- FDA: Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide, Chapter V Ingredient Labeling (April 2005, nonbinding). Read 2026-10-23.
- FDA: Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide, Chapter IV Nutrition Labeling (April 2005, nonbinding). Read 2026-10-23.
- FDA: Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (law text as posted by FDA). Read 2026-10-23.
- EFSA: Titanium dioxide (E 171) no longer considered safe when used as a food additive (6 May 2021). Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH: Using Dietary Supplements Wisely. Read 2026-10-23.