Polysorbate 20

Polysorbate 20 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate) is a synthetic emulsifier produced by ethoxylating sorbitan monolaurate. It belongs to the same polysorbate family as E433 (polysorbate 80), E435 (polysorbate 60), and E436 (polysorbate 65). In food it stabilises oil-in-water emulsions, prevents fat separation, and extends shelf life in baked goods, ice cream, and certain beverages.

JECFA's ADI is 25 mg per kilogram body weight per day (total polysorbates as a group), evaluated in 1973. A 2015 animal study by Chassaing et al. published in Nature found that polysorbates 80 and 80 at 1% concentration in drinking water altered gut microbiota composition and promoted inflammatory bowel disease markers in mice. These concentrations are substantially higher than human dietary exposure from food use, and regulatory bodies have not acted on this finding for food additive use, but research is ongoing.

Polysorbate 20 is approved in the EU, US (GRAS), UK, and most global markets. It is encountered in certain baked goods, beverages, and personal care products. For healthy adults at typical dietary exposures it is considered safe. Consumers choosing to reduce intake of synthetic emulsifiers may look for products using natural alternatives such as lecithin (E322) or sucrose esters (E473).