Sucroglycerides

Sucroglycerides are a mixture of sucrose esters of fatty acids (E473) and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), produced by reacting sucrose with triglycerides. They combine the emulsifying properties of both parent compounds, providing both oil-in-water emulsification and fat crystal modification. They are used in ice cream, emulsified sauces, baked goods, and certain dairy products.

JECFA's ADI is 30 mg per kilogram body weight per day (as sucrose esters), evaluated in 1973. Sucroglycerides are hydrolysed in the gut to sucrose, glycerol, and fatty acids — all normal dietary constituents handled through standard metabolic pathways. No adverse effects have been identified at any realistic dietary exposure from food additive use.

Sucroglycerides are approved in the EU and several other markets. They are less commonly used than sucrose esters alone or mono/diglycerides alone, but find application in complex emulsified products. For healthy adults there are no health concerns. Their metabolic products are essentially equivalent to those from consuming sugar and fat, making them one of the more naturally metabolised synthetic emulsifiers.