Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides
A food emulsifier made by combining fats with lactic acid, used to blend oil and water in baked goods, cream and margarine.
What is it?
Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (also called LACTEM) are produced by reacting partially broken-down fats with lactic acid, a naturally occurring acid found in fermented foods. The result is a mixture of molecules that have both fat-soluble and water-soluble ends, giving them emulsifying properties. The raw materials are typically vegetable or animal-derived fatty acids combined with glycerol and lactic acid.
What does it do?
Like other emulsifiers, LACTEM helps oil and water mix by sitting at the boundary between the two phases and preventing them from separating. In bread and cakes it interacts with starch to slow staling and improve crumb texture. In aerosol creams and whipped toppings it stabilises air bubbles. In margarine and fat-based spreads it helps form a smooth, consistent texture. The lactic acid portion also contributes mild acidity.
Where you will see it
Most commonly found in sliced and packaged bread, rolls and cakes; aerosol whipped cream; margarine and low-fat spreads; coffee whiteners; and some infant formula products where texture stability is needed. On UK ingredient labels it appears as 'E472b' or 'lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids'.
What the science says
What happens to it in the body
LACTEM is broken down in the gut into its building blocks: glycerol, lactic acid, and fatty acids. All three are normal components of food and are metabolised or excreted through ordinary metabolic routes. Because it is rapidly hydrolysed to these everyday dietary components, it does not accumulate in the body.
The EFSA Panel concluded that E472b undergoes extensive hydrolysis in the gut to glycerol, lactic acid and fatty acids, and that these hydrolysis products are normal dietary constituents metabolised through established pathways.
Toxicology and long-term data
No long-term carcinogenicity or multi-generation reproductive studies specific to E472b were available at the time of the 2020 EFSA re-evaluation. Short-term and subchronic animal studies showed no adverse effects. The Panel did not set a numerical ADI because the hydrolysis products are ordinary food components and no toxicological concern was identified at authorised use levels.
Available short-term and subchronic studies in animals showed no adverse effects attributable to E472b. No long-term carcinogenicity studies were identified, and the Panel noted this as a data gap but did not consider it a safety concern given the nature of the hydrolysis products.
No numerical ADI was set for E472b because the Panel found no evidence of adverse effects at authorised levels and the compound breaks down to normal dietary constituents.
Animal-derived ingredients and dietary restrictions
The fatty acid component of LACTEM is typically derived from vegetable oils (such as sunflower or palm) but can also come from animal fats, including pork or beef tallow. Without a labelling declaration of source, it is impossible for a consumer to confirm whether a specific product's E472b is vegan or religiously compliant. Manufacturers are not required under UK food law to specify the fat origin on the label.
Mono- and diglyceride esters including LACTEM may be derived from animal or vegetable fats; the source is not required to be declared on UK or EU ingredient labels beyond the E-number.
Where it stands with the regulators
Who should be careful
People following a vegan or plant-based diet, or those observing halal or kosher dietary rules, should be aware that E472b may be made from animal-derived fats. The label will say 'E472b' or 'lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids' but will not state the fat source. Contact the manufacturer to confirm origin if this matters to you.
The honest read
E472b is one of a large family of fat-derived emulsifiers that have been in commercial food production for decades. The 2020 EFSA re-evaluation, which reviewed all available toxicological data, found nothing in the evidence base to raise a safety concern at the amounts used in food. No numerical ADI was set, not because of uncertainty, but because the compound breaks straight down into components the body already handles routinely. The main practical question for many consumers is dietary: the fat source is undeclared on the label, which matters for vegans and those following religious dietary laws.
Related additives
Common questions
Is E472b banned in the UK?
No. E472b is permitted in the UK under the retained version of EU Regulation 1333/2008 and appears on the UK FSA approved-additives list.
Is E472b vegan?
Not necessarily. The fatty acids used to make it can come from vegetable oils or from animal fats such as lard or tallow. UK food law does not require manufacturers to declare the fat source on the label, so you cannot tell from the ingredient list alone. Contact the manufacturer if you need to confirm.
What foods contain E472b?
It is most commonly found in packaged sliced bread and rolls, cakes, aerosol whipped cream, margarine and low-fat spreads, coffee whiteners, and some infant formula products.
Does E472b accumulate in the body?
No. It is broken down in the gut into glycerol, lactic acid, and fatty acids, all of which are ordinary dietary components that the body metabolises or excretes through normal routes.
Sources
- EFSA FAF Panel: Re-evaluation of acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, mono- and diacetyltartaric acid, mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472a-f) as food additives - EFSA Journal 2020
- UK FSA: Approved additives and E numbers
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (Annex II)
See this on every food you scan
NutraSafe reads the label and puts every additive into plain English, with the source, right in the app.
Get NutraSafe on the App Store