Mono- ve di-gliseritlerin esterleri

Detailed information

What it is & how it is made

This entry is a family heading. There is no stand-alone 'E 472' code in EU legislation; the additive is listed under six separate codes: E 472a acetic acid esters, E 472b lactic acid esters, E 472c citric acid esters, E 472d tartaric acid esters, E 472e mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters (DATEM) and E 472f mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters (Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012). All are defined as mixed esters of glycerol with the relevant organic acid and with 'fatty acids occurring in food fats and oils'.

Where it is used

They belong to the emulsifier functional class. Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 each of the six sub-codes is listed separately; they are authorised in many food categories at quantum satis or with numerical limits, and some may also be used as carriers under Annex III. The Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives follows the same list. Their main purposes are to improve the gas-holding capacity of dough, to keep fat and water mixtures stable and to improve product structure.

Health note

EFSA re-evaluated E 472a-f together in 2020 (EFSA Journal 2020;18(3):6032). The Panel reported that these esters are extensively hydrolysed in the gastrointestinal tract and after absorption into products that are ordinary dietary constituents. No numerical acceptable daily intake (ADI) was considered necessary for E 472a, E 472b and E 472c; for the tartaric-acid-containing esters an ADI was derived on the basis of tartaric acid content (480 mg/kg body weight per day for E 472d and 600 mg/kg body weight per day for E 472e and E 472f).

Halal assessment

The decisive point is the origin of the fatty acids and of the glycerol. The EU specifications describe the raw material as 'fatty acids occurring in food fats and oils' and draw no distinction between vegetable and animal sources; animal fat is not excluded. Unless the source is documented it should therefore be treated as source dependent; consult the manufacturer's halal certificate for a definitive answer.