E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E435
also: Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate · Tween 60 · POE (20) sorbitan monostearate
A man-made emulsifier that stops fat and water separating in cake mixes, coffee whiteners and dessert toppings. European reviewers say there are not enough data on whether it damages DNA.
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Sugar, Palm Fat, Water, Invert Sugar Syrup, Emulsifiers (E471, E435, E481), Sea Salt, Preservative (E202), Stabiliser (E450), Flavouring, Acidity Regulators (E524, E330), Colour (E160a)
European reviewers found too little data on whether polysorbates can damage DNA and flagged a gap that has not been formally closed.
172
of the 43,325 UK supermarket foods we checked declare E435 in their ingredients
That is 0.4%, counted by its code or its name.
Counted by NutraSafe from UK supermarket ingredient lists, September 2026. How we counted
Why it’s worth knowing. European reviewers found too little data on whether polysorbates can damage DNA and flagged a gap that has not been formally closed. Lab and animal studies on a related polysorbate suggest regular intake may change the mix of gut bacteria.
Polysorbate 60 is made in a factory by joining sorbitol, a sweetener, to stearic acid, a fat, and treating the result with ethylene oxide. That makes it mix with both water and fat. It is one of the polysorbates, E432 to E436, which differ mainly in the fat they use.
It is an emulsifier, which means it lets oil and water mix and stay mixed. In baked goods it works with the starch and gluten to improve texture and help them last. In non-dairy creamers and dessert toppings it keeps the fat spread evenly, so the product pours or whips the same every time.
Non-dairy coffee creamers, squirty and frozen dessert toppings, cake mixes, bakery fillings and icing, salad dressings, sauces, sweet coatings and some ice creams. Labels call it polysorbate 60, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate or E435.
When European reviewers looked at the polysorbates (E432 to E436) in 2015, they found the data were not enough to rule out DNA damage. They kept the existing daily limit but asked for new studies to fill the gap. That is a formal warning flag, not a finding that it damages DNA, but it means the question has not been answered to the regulator's satisfaction.
Reviewers found too little data on DNA damage for the polysorbates (E432 to E436) and called for new studies before the gap could be closed.
Most of the research on emulsifiers and the gut has looked at polysorbate 80 (E433) and cellulose gum, not polysorbate 60. In mice and in lab models of the gut, polysorbate 80 at higher doses changed the mix of gut bacteria and made the gut wall leakier, in ways linked to low-level inflammation. Because polysorbate 60 has the same backbone and is regulated in the same group, these findings are seen as relevant, but there is little direct evidence in people for polysorbate 60 itself.
Polysorbate 80 and cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose) disturbed gut bacteria and encouraged gut inflammation in mice, at doses above typical intake.
In a lab model of the gut, rising amounts of polysorbate 80 and cellulose gum changed the mix of gut bacteria and damaged the gut lining, more so at higher doses.
The international expert committee set a shared daily limit of 25mg per kg of body weight for the polysorbates, and European reviewers adopted it. Estimated intakes in Europe are generally well below it, but because of the gap on DNA damage, the limit itself rests on incomplete evidence.
The international committee set a shared daily limit of 25mg per kg of body weight for polysorbates, which European reviewers adopted for E432 to E436.
Daily limit. 25mg per kg of body weight a day, about 1,750mg for a 70kg adult, shared by the polysorbates E432 to E436.
People avoiding animal ingredients should know the stearic acid in polysorbate 60 often comes from animal fat, usually tallow, though plant versions exist. The label will not say which. Look for E435 or polysorbate 60, and ask the maker if it matters to you.
Polysorbate 60 sits in a grey zone. It has been allowed for decades, and estimated intake is below the agreed limit. But that limit was set on evidence European reviewers themselves called incomplete, on whether it can damage DNA. The gut evidence mostly comes from the closely related polysorbate 80, not polysorbate 60, and most studies used more than food contains. The research is active and not settled.
No. Polysorbate 60 is an approved additive in the UK and allowed in a range of foods.
Yes. In 2015 European reviewers found too little data on whether polysorbates damage DNA and asked for new studies before that question could be closed. That is a formal gap in the evidence, not a finding of harm.
Non-dairy coffee creamers, squirty dessert toppings, frozen desserts, cake mixes, bakery fillings, salad dressings, sweet coatings and some supplements. Labels call it E435, polysorbate 60 or polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate.
Not reliably. Its stearic acid often comes from animal fat. Plant-based versions exist but are not the default, and labels rarely say. Ask the maker if it matters to you.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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