Sorbitan tristearate

Sorbitan tristearate is a non-ionic emulsifier belonging to the sorbitan ester family. It is produced by reacting sorbitol (derived from glucose) with stearic acid, a common saturated fatty acid. As a food additive (E492), it is used in chocolate to improve tempering and gloss, in cake mixes to prevent fat bloom, and in confectionery coatings to control crystallisation and texture. It is often used alongside lecithin and other emulsifiers in combination applications.

JECFA evaluated sorbitan esters in 1974 and established a group ADI of 25 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, applying to all sorbitan esters collectively. For a 70 kg adult this equates to 1,750 mg per day — typically many times the amount consumed through food. The sorbitan esters are hydrolysed in the gut to sorbitol and fatty acids, both of which are handled by normal metabolic pathways.

Sorbitan tristearate is approved in the EU (E492), the United States, and other major markets. It belongs to a family of emulsifiers with a long history of safe use in food. Consumers are unlikely to encounter it outside chocolate or confectionery products. There are no known adverse effects at food-use concentrations, and it carries no mandatory labelling requirements beyond standard additive declaration.