Polysorbates
E432–E436
E432, E433, E434, E435, E436, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 40, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 65, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate
What it is
A family of emulsifiers that keep fat and water mixed, identified in the EU as E432–E436.
Why BOTIA flags it
Polysorbates keep fat and water mixed and are used in foods such as ice cream, sauces and baked goods. JECFA maintains a group ADI of 0–25 mg/kg body weight per day and in 2026 requested more data on manufacturing impurities. There is also ongoing research into whether emulsifiers of this type affect the intestinal mucus barrier and gut microbiota — this has been observed with polysorbate 80 in animals, and it is not yet resolved in humans.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E432–E436, individual polysorbate numbers and their principal chemical names.
- Explain the JECFA group intake limit and the ongoing research specifically involving polysorbate 80 and the intestinal mucus barrier and microbiota.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine the amount of polysorbate present in a product from the ingredient list.
- Treat findings from animal or experimental microbiota studies as proof that a person consuming a polysorbate-containing food will experience the same effect.