Sorbitan monostearate

Sorbitan monostearate is a nonionic emulsifier produced by the partial esterification of sorbitan with stearic acid. It is one of the most widely used emulsifiers in the sorbitan ester family (E491–E495) and is commonly used in yeast-raised bread products, where it acts as a crumb softener and shelf-life extender. It is also used in chocolate as a bloom inhibitor, confectionery coatings, and edible films.

JECFA's ADI is 25 mg per kilogram body weight per day (as a group ADI for all sorbitan esters), evaluated in 1974. Sorbitan monostearate is hydrolysed in the gut to sorbitol and stearic acid — both normal dietary components. Sorbitol at very high doses has a laxative effect, but the amounts from E491 at food additive concentrations are far too small to produce this effect. No adverse effects have been identified at typical dietary exposures.

Sorbitan monostearate is approved in the EU, US (GRAS), UK, Australia, and globally. It is found in commercial bread, cakes, confectionery, chocolate products, and edible coatings. For healthy adults there are no safety concerns. The sorbitan ester family is well-established and among the most comprehensively studied emulsifiers in the food industry.