E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E472e
also: diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides
The reason a supermarket loaf rises tall and stays soft. It is made from fats, and depending on the fat it can carry traces of trans fat.
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Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Yeast, Salt, Soya Flour, Preservative: E282, Emulsifiers: E472e, E471, E481, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid
DATEM made from partly hydrogenated fat can carry small amounts of industrial trans fat.
922
of the 43,325 UK supermarket foods we checked declare E472e in their ingredients
That is 2.1%, 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. DATEM made from partly hydrogenated fat can carry small amounts of industrial trans fat. Regularly eating trans fat is linked to raised LDL cholesterol and more heart disease.
DATEM is short for diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids. It is made by reacting fats (glycerides from food fats and oils) with acetic acid and tartaric acid, the acid in grapes. The fats used decide what fatty acids end up in it. In the past these included partly hydrogenated vegetable oils, so it could contain trans fat, though many makers now use fats that are not hydrogenated.
In bread it binds to the gluten and strengthens it, so the dough holds more gas. The result is a taller loaf with a lighter, more open inside that stays soft for longer. In other baked goods it keeps oil and water mixed.
Wrapped sliced bread, rolls, burger buns, crumpets, English muffins, cake mixes, sweet pastries, margarine and some coffee creamers. UK labels call it DATEM, E472e, or the full chemical name.
DATEM made from partly hydrogenated oils can contain industrial trans fat, which raises LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL cholesterol. The WHO wants industrial trans fat removed from food worldwide. Many makers now use fats that are not hydrogenated, which cuts or removes the trans fat, but it varies by supplier and the label will not tell you which you are getting.
Industrial trans fats raise LDL cholesterol, lower HDL cholesterol, and are linked to more coronary heart disease. The WHO called for them to be removed from food supplies by 2023.
European reviewers noted that the fats in DATEM, including any trans fat, depend on the starting fat, and flagged this as relevant to how much people take in.
The NutriNet-Santé study asked more than 100,000 French adults to record everything they ate, then followed their health for about 7 years. People who ate more DATEM were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. This shows a link, not proof that DATEM causes diabetes, and the researchers called for more research.
Among 104,139 French adults followed for an average of 6.8 years, each extra 100mg of DATEM (E472e) eaten a day was linked to a 4% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
European reviewers looked at E472a to E472f together in 2020. They said the toxicity data were limited. They set no numerical daily limit for the fat and glycerol it breaks down into, which are normal parts of food, but flagged gaps in the data on the acetic and tartaric acid parts at high doses. That is a caution, not a clearance.
Reviewers could not set a numerical daily limit for E472e. They set none for the parts that are normal in the diet, but flagged data gaps for the acid-bound parts at high intakes.
In the gut DATEM is split back into glycerol, fatty acids, tartaric acid and acetic acid, all normal parts of food. At the amounts in bread, reviewers did not see these parts as a separate hazard beyond the trans fat question above.
DATEM is split during digestion into glycerol, fatty acids, tartaric acid and acetic acid. Reviewers noted these are normal parts of the diet or the body and raised no specific issue about them at normal food amounts.
Daily limit. No numerical limit set for the fat and glycerol parts. Data gaps noted for the acid-bound parts at high doses.
People cutting trans fat for their heart cannot tell from the label whether the DATEM in a loaf was made from hydrogenated fat. If trans fat matters to you, look for products that state 0g trans fat in the nutrition information. Vegans should know it can be made from animal fat.
There are two separate questions here. The first is trans fat: DATEM made from partly hydrogenated oils is a potential source of industrial trans fat, which has strong and consistent evidence linking it to heart disease. Industry has broadly moved to non-hydrogenated fats, but you cannot check that from a label.
The second is whether DATEM's own chemistry causes any harm. The 2020 European review found the data too thin to say either way, flagged gaps and set no number. The 2024 French study adds a link with type 2 diabetes, which shows a link rather than proof. The research on the compound itself is still thin.
No. E472e is approved in the UK and carried over from EU law. It is allowed in bread, baked goods, margarine and several other foods.
It can. If the starting fat was a partly hydrogenated vegetable oil, the DATEM will carry industrial trans fat. Many makers have switched to fats that are not hydrogenated, but UK labels do not say which was used. The nutrition panel, where trans fat is listed, is the only thing you can check.
Mostly wrapped sliced bread, rolls, burger buns, crumpets, English muffins, cake mixes, sweet pastries and some spreads. It may also appear in coffee whiteners and sauces. Labels call it DATEM or E472e.
Not always. The fats it is made from can come from animal fat, such as lard or beef tallow, or from vegetable oil, and the label does not say which. Certified vegan products use plant-derived DATEM.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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