E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E470
also: E470a · E470b · Sodium/potassium/calcium salts of fatty acids · Magnesium salts of fatty acids
Mineral salts of common food fats used to improve texture, prevent sticking and help fats and water mix smoothly in baked goods, confectionery and dairy products.
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Dextrose, Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Anti-Caking Agent: E470, Maltodextrin, Thickener: E414, Emulsifier: E471, Corn Starch, Glazing Agents: E904, E903, Colour: E153, Gelatine
E470 is a family of salts formed by combining fatty acids (principally palmitic and stearic acid, derived from animal fats or vegetable oils) with minerals: sodium, potassium and calcium salts are grouped as E470a; magnesium salts as E470b.
E470 is a family of salts formed by combining fatty acids (principally palmitic and stearic acid, derived from animal fats or vegetable oils) with minerals: sodium, potassium and calcium salts are grouped as E470a; magnesium salts as E470b. The fatty acids themselves are the same ones found in everyday fats such as palm oil, tallow or soya oil.
In food, these salts act as emulsifiers and stabilisers. They help oil and water form a stable mixture, improve the texture and volume of baked goods, reduce sticking during processing and can function as mild anti-caking agents in powdered products. In the gut they dissociate back into the fatty acid and the mineral ion, following the same route as dietary fat.
Most common in bread and other baked goods (where it improves crumb structure), confectionery, processed potato products, flavourings, cake mixes, and food supplements. On the label it appears as E470, E470a or E470b, or as 'sodium stearate', 'calcium stearate', 'magnesium stearate', or 'potassium palmitate'.
EFSA's 2018 re-evaluation concluded that E470a and E470b dissociate in the gastrointestinal tract into their component fatty acids and mineral cations, which are then processed through ordinary fat metabolism pathways. At typical food additive use levels, the fatty acids from E470 contribute at most around 5% of overall dietary saturated fat intake across all food sources.
EFSA found no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake and identified no safety concern at reported use levels, noting that the additives break down to components handled by normal fat metabolism.
The 2018 EFSA re-evaluation noted that if hydrogenated oils are used as the source material for manufacturing E470, the resulting product may contain trans fatty acids. EFSA recommended that specifications include maximum limits for trans fatty acids and for erucic acid (present in rapeseed oil, a potential source). These are specification quality concerns rather than findings about health effects at actual food use levels.
EFSA recommended introducing maximum limits for trans fatty acids and erucic acid in the specifications for E470a and E470b, because hydrogenated or rapeseed-derived source oils may contribute these components.
EFSA also flagged that existing specification limits for arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium in E470 products should be lowered to align with current standards for food additives. This is a manufacturing purity issue, not a finding about the additive's function or its effects at normal use.
The EFSA panel called for tighter specification limits on heavy metals (arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium) in E470a and E470b to reflect updated standards.
People who avoid animal-derived ingredients (vegans or those following halal or kosher diets) should note that E470 may be derived from animal fat as well as vegetable oil. The label does not specify the source; look for E470, E470a or E470b and contact the manufacturer if the origin matters to you.
E470 is made from the same fatty acids that make up ordinary dietary fat. The main open question from EFSA's 2018 review was about manufacturing quality, not about the additive causing harm in food: regulators asked manufacturers to tighten limits on trans fatty acids and trace heavy metals in the raw ingredient, and to confirm they are using edible-grade source oils. Those are specification improvements, not signals of a health risk from the additive as used in food. The science here is not contested.
No. E470 (as E470a and E470b) is approved for use in the UK under the FSA's approved-additives list and the assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008. It is permitted across a wide range of food categories.
It can be derived from either animal fats (such as tallow) or vegetable oils (such as palm or soya oil). The label does not indicate which source was used. If you avoid animal-derived ingredients for dietary, religious or ethical reasons, you would need to contact the manufacturer directly.
Bread, baked goods, confectionery, processed potato products, unripened cheese, processed fish products and food supplements are among the most common. It also appears in flavourings and cake mixes. On the label it may be listed as E470, E470a, E470b, sodium stearate, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate or potassium palmitate.
Not necessarily. The fatty acids in E470 may come from animal fat or vegetable oil. There is no requirement to declare the origin on the label. Vegans should check with the manufacturer before consuming products listing E470.
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