Succistearin
A fatty acid ester used as an emulsifier and dough conditioner. Not currently on the UK or EU permitted additives list.
E446 does not appear on the UK FSA approved additives list or the current EU Annex II permitted food additives list. Any food labelled with E446 in the UK or EU may be non-compliant.
What is it?
Succistearin is the succinic acid ester of mono- and diglycerides derived from stearic acid (an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid found in animal fats and vegetable oils). It belongs to the broader family of succinylated glycerides, formed by reacting monoglycerides with succinic anhydride.
What does it do?
As an emulsifier it stabilises fat-water mixtures, preventing separation. In bread and dough, succinylated glycerides interact with gluten proteins and starch to strengthen dough structure, improve loaf volume, and delay crumb firming. The succinic acid group makes the molecule more water-dispersible than plain monoglycerides.
Where you will see it
Historically used as a dough conditioner in bread and baked goods, and occasionally as an emulsifier in confectionery fat blends. Given its absent status from current UK and EU approved lists, it is unlikely to appear on the ingredient label of any food legally sold in Great Britain or the EU. If present, it would be labelled as 'succistearin', 'E446', or 'succinylated monoglycerides (stearate)' though the last term is more often associated with E472g.
What the science says
Regulatory absence, not toxicity
E446 does not appear on the UK Food Standards Agency approved additives list or in the current EU Annex II permitted food additives under Regulation 1333/2008. The consolidated text of Regulation 1333/2008 (as of December 2024) confirms the Annex II list progresses directly from E445 (glycerol esters of wood rosins) to E450 (diphosphates), with no E446 entry. The reason for its absence is not a specific documented safety ban but rather a lack of current authorisation. This means UK and EU food manufacturers cannot legally use it. No published EFSA safety opinion on E446 as a standalone entry is on record in recent evaluations.
E446 succistearin does not appear in the UK FSA list of approved additives and E numbers.
Annex II of EU Regulation 1333/2008 sets the Union list of permitted food additives; E446 is not listed. The consolidated text confirms the list moves from E445 directly to E450, with no E446 entry. Article 30 of Regulation 1333/2008 states that 'food additives and uses which are no longer needed shall not be entered in Annex II.'
Chemistry and metabolism of succinylated glycerides
Succistearin is structurally similar to other food-grade emulsifiers in the glyceride ester family (such as E471 mono- and diglycerides, E472 their acetic, lactic, citric, and tartaric acid esters). Succinic acid itself is a natural metabolic intermediate in the citric acid (Krebs) cycle in human cells. When ingested, succinylated glycerides are expected to hydrolyse in the gut to their component fatty acids and succinic acid, both of which are normal metabolites. No specific toxicological concern has been raised about succistearin itself in published literature at food-relevant levels.
Succinic acid is an endogenous intermediate of the citric acid cycle and is considered a normal component of human metabolism.
Where it stands with the regulators
Who should be careful
Anyone eating food sold in the UK or EU should not encounter E446 in legally compliant products. If you spot E446 or 'succistearin' on a UK or EU label, that product may not meet current food additive regulations and could warrant a report to the relevant local authority or the FSA.
The honest read
There is no published body of human safety research on E446 specifically, because it has not been authorised for use in EU or UK food and is therefore not commercially present in those markets. The absence from approved lists is not the result of a documented health scare but reflects the additive never having secured authorisation under the current EU positive-list framework, where only explicitly approved substances may be used. No IARC classification, no allergy signal, and no regulatory ban for toxicity reasons exists for succistearin. The regulatory gap, however, means that if it appeared in a UK or EU food product, that product would be unlawfully additive-dosed.
Related additives
Common questions
Is E446 banned in the UK?
E446 is not listed on the UK FSA approved additives register, meaning it is not authorised for use in food sold in Great Britain. This is a positive-list system: anything not on the list is prohibited. It is not a toxicity ban; E446 simply has no current authorisation.
Why does E446 have an E number if it is not approved?
E numbers were assigned to additives that were evaluated or used historically, including those that were never formally authorised or that lost their approved status under later regulations. Having an E number does not mean an additive is currently permitted in the UK or EU.
What foods contain E446?
E446 is not legally permitted in UK or EU food products. Historically, succinylated glycerides of this type were used in bread doughs and confectionery fat blends, mainly in US-formulated products, where related compounds have GRAS status under US FDA regulations. You are unlikely to find E446 on any UK or EU food label.
Is E446 vegan?
Succistearin is derived from mono- and diglycerides, which can come from either animal fats (such as lard or tallow) or vegetable oils. Whether a specific production batch is vegan depends on the fat source. Since E446 is not authorised in UK or EU food, this question is largely academic for UK shoppers.
Sources
- Approved Additives and E Numbers, Food Standards Agency (UK)
- EU Food Additives Database, European Commission
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated text, EUR-Lex
- E446 Succistearin, Open Food Facts additive database
- Succinylated Monoglycerides, BAKERpedia ingredient reference
- 21 CFR 172.830 Succinylated monoglycerides, US FDA Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
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