Polyglycerol Esters & PGPR
E475, E476
E475, E476, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, polyglycerol polyricinoleate PGPR, PGPR
What it is
A group containing two different emulsifiers: polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (E475) and polyglycerol polyricinoleate, or PGPR (E476).
Why BOTIA flags it
Polyglycerol esters keep fat and water mixed, but E475 and E476 are not the same additive. E476 (PGPR) is made from fatty acids from castor oil and is used especially in chocolate because it helps the mass flow during processing. JECFA set an ADI of 0–7.5 mg/kg body weight per day: in animal studies, high doses increased liver size, although without lesions or histopathological damage. For E475, JECFA separately set an ADI of 0–25 mg/kg body weight per day.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E475, E476, polyglycerol esters and PGPR declarations.
- Explain why E475 and E476 must be evaluated separately and show their different JECFA intake limits.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine how much E475 or E476 is present in a product from the ingredient list.
- Treat the liver change seen at high experimental doses of PGPR as evidence of liver damage in a person eating a product that contains it.