E-numbers / E430 Thickener / Emulsifier

Polyoxyethylene 8 stearate

also: Polyoxyl 8 stearate · PEG-8 stearate · Polyethylene glycol 400 monostearate
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The short version

A synthetic emulsifier made by reacting stearic acid with ethylene oxide, used to help oil and water mix in sauces and bakery products.

Good to know

This is not a permitted food additive in the UK, so you will not normally find it on a UK label.

What is it?

Polyoxyethylene 8 stearate is a non-ionic surfactant produced by reacting stearic acid (an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid derived from vegetable or animal fat) with 8 units of ethylene oxide. The result is a water-soluble ester that bridges oil and water phases. It belongs to a family of polyoxyethylene stearate emulsifiers (E430 to E436) that differ only in the length of the polyoxyethylene chain.

What does it do?

It reduces surface tension at the boundary between fat and water, allowing them to form a stable, uniform mixture rather than separating. In food, this keeps sauces smooth, prevents fat from rising to the surface, and improves the texture and shelf life of baked goods. With only 8 ethylene oxide units, it is less water-soluble than its higher-chain relatives (E431-E436) and is rarely used in food on its own.

Where you will see it

It may appear in certain emulsified sauces, bakery products, and some confectionery glazes. It is far more commonly used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations than in food. On a UK ingredient label it would appear as 'emulsifier (E430)' or 'emulsifier (polyoxyethylene 8 stearate)'.

What the science says

Group safety evaluation covering E430 to E436

EFSA and JECFA have evaluated the polyoxyethylene stearate family as a group rather than individually. A group acceptable daily intake of 0 to 25 mg/kg body weight per day was set for E430-E436 combined. No specific adverse effects in humans have been identified at the levels typically found in food, though studies at very high doses in animals showed effects on the liver and other organs.

JECFA set a group ADI of 0 to 25 mg/kg body weight per day for polyoxyethylene stearates (E430-E436) based on animal studies, applying the group to all members including E430.

JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives)regulatory

At very high dietary doses in animal studies, polyoxyethylene stearates at the lower end of the chain length caused liver enlargement and histological changes, but these doses substantially exceed any realistic human food exposure.

JECFA monograph on polyoxyethylene stearatesanimal

Ethylene oxide residue limit

Polyoxyethylene compounds are made using ethylene oxide, which is a known carcinogen in its own right. EU regulations cap residual ethylene oxide in all Annex II food additives at 0.1 mg/kg, a limit that applies to E430 alongside the rest of the polyoxyethylene family. The regulation does not imply that finished food contains meaningful ethylene oxide at permitted use levels; it is a manufacturing purity control.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1396 established that no ethylene oxide residue above 0.1 mg/kg shall be present in food additives listed in Annex II to Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, including polyoxyethylene stearates.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/13962022regulatory

Fatty acid origin and dietary suitability

The stearic acid used to make E430 most often comes from vegetable fats, but animal-derived tallow is also a permitted feedstock and cannot be distinguished analytically in the finished product. This matters for people following vegan, halal, or kosher diets, who cannot confirm suitability from the label alone and need to contact the manufacturer.

The fatty acid component of polyoxyethylene stearates may derive from vegetable oils or animal tallow; the origin cannot be determined chemically in the finished additive.

European Food Information Council (EUFIC) additive guidanceregulatory review

Where it stands with the regulators

Status
Approved for use in the EU under Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 Annex II as part of the E430-E436 polyoxyethylene stearate group. Does not appear to be separately listed on the UK FSA approved-additives published list; current UK post-Brexit status requires direct verification against the assimilated retained regulation.
Legal basis
EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 Annex II (polyoxyethylene stearates group E430-E436). UK retained law via the UK Food Additives, Flavourings, Enzymes and Extraction Solvents Regulations 2013 and subsequent amendments.
Permitted foods
Emulsified sauces; Bakery products; Certain confectionery
Maximum levels
Quantum satis (as needed to achieve technological purpose) for most permitted categories, subject to group ADI
Safe-intake limit (ADI)
0 to 25 mg/kg body weight per day (group ADI for E430-E436 combined, set by JECFA)
History
Part of the original polyoxyethylene stearate group evaluated by JECFA and incorporated into EU food additive legislation. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1396 introduced a residual ethylene oxide limit of 0.1 mg/kg across all Annex II additives including this group. E430 sees far less food use than its higher-chain relatives (E431-E436) and is far more prevalent in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Who should be careful

People following vegan, halal, or kosher diets should check with the manufacturer before consuming products containing E430, as the stearic acid source may be animal-derived. Look for 'emulsifier (E430)' or 'emulsifier (polyoxyethylene 8 stearate)' on the ingredient list.

The honest read

Cutting through the noise

E430 is one of the more obscure members of a well-established emulsifier family. It appears in food at low levels and is used far more widely in skin creams and medicines than in anything you would eat. The group ADI set by international food safety committees is based on animal studies at doses many times higher than food use. The main open question for individual shoppers is not a health concern but an ingredient origin question: whether the stearic acid in a particular batch came from a plant or animal source.

Related additives

More thickeners, emulsifiers & stabilisers: E400 · E401 · E402 · E403 · E404 · E405 · all E-numbers

Common questions

Is E430 banned in the UK?

E430 is not formally listed on the UK FSA published approved-additives page, which raises a question about its current post-Brexit status. It was previously covered by EU Regulation 1333/2008 Annex II as part of the E430-E436 group, and UK retained law generally carried those permissions forward. Anyone needing a definitive answer for labelling or compliance purposes should check directly with the UK FSA or consult the retained regulation text.

Does E430 contain ethylene oxide?

E430 is manufactured using ethylene oxide as a reagent, but EU rules since 2022 cap any residual ethylene oxide in finished food additives at 0.1 mg/kg. The regulation is a manufacturing purity control, not an indication that the finished additive or food product contains meaningful quantities of ethylene oxide.

What foods contain E430?

E430 is rarely found in food in the UK. When it does appear, it is most likely in emulsified sauces or bakery products. It is far more common in cosmetics, personal care products, and pharmaceutical preparations. Check the ingredient list for 'emulsifier (E430)'.

Is E430 vegan?

Not necessarily. The stearic acid used to make E430 can come from either vegetable oils or animal fats (tallow), and the two cannot be distinguished in the finished product. Vegans, halal, and kosher consumers should contact the manufacturer of any specific product to confirm the fatty acid source.

Sources

Last reviewed: 20 June 2026

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