E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E480
also: docusate sodium · DSS
A synthetic surfactant primarily used as a pharmaceutical laxative. Not a permitted food additive in the UK or EU.
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Not authorised for use in UK or EU food.
Why it’s worth knowing. Not authorised for use in UK or EU food. If you see E480 on a UK food label, the product may not comply with food law. The substance itself carries a low ADI and has reported laxative effects at higher doses.
Sodium docusate (also called dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, or DOSS) is a synthetic surfactant made by reacting 2-ethylhexanol with maleic anhydride and sodium bisulfite. It is an anionic surfactant, meaning it lowers surface tension between liquids and between liquids and solids. It is best known as an active ingredient in over-the-counter stool softener medicines such as Dulcolax Stool Softener and similar products.
As a surfactant and emulsifier, sodium docusate reduces surface tension, allowing water and oils to mix more readily. In pharmaceutical use, this property draws water into the gut, softening stool. In industrial contexts it acts as a wetting agent and dispersant. If used in food (which is not permitted in the UK or EU), it would theoretically function as an emulsifier or humectant.
You should not see E480 on any UK or EU food label because it is not authorised for use in food. It appears in licensed medicines (stool softeners, ear-drop preparations) and industrial products. Secondary sources note it has historically appeared in some processed food applications in countries where it is permitted, such as the United States, where it is used in certain juices, carbonated drinks, and gelatin products. On a UK food label it would appear as E480 or sodium docusate, but its presence would indicate a regulatory breach.
Sodium docusate works by drawing water and fats into the intestinal contents, softening stool. This pharmacological action is the basis of its medical use. At food-additive-level doses the laxative effect would be lower, but an established ADI of 0 to 0.1 mg per kg of body weight per day reflects concern that regular intake above this threshold could cause gastrointestinal effects. The substance is classified as harmful by ingestion in its pure form.
Sodium docusate is pharmacologically active as a stool softener and stimulates fluid secretion in the gut; its approved therapeutic dose in adults is typically 100 to 300mg per day.
JECFA assigned an ADI of 0 to 0.1 mg/kg body weight per day, reflecting concern about adverse effects at higher intakes including gastrointestinal disturbance.
Animal studies and reports compiled in the Hazardous Substances Data Bank have associated high-dose exposure with potential liver toxicity. These findings informed the low ADI. Human data at food-relevant doses is limited, which contributed to the EU's decision not to authorise the substance as a food additive.
Animal toxicology studies have associated repeated high-dose exposure to sodium docusate with liver toxicity; these findings are reflected in the Hazardous Substances Data Bank.
Sodium docusate can increase the gastrointestinal absorption of some co-administered substances. In pharmaceutical contexts, it is known to increase the absorption of aspirin and has been reported to interact with mineral oil. These interactions are relevant primarily to medicinal doses but contribute to caution about its use in food.
Docusate can increase gastrointestinal absorption of co-ingested substances, including aspirin, by surfactant action on the intestinal mucosa.
Anyone in the UK should not encounter E480 in food. If you use stool-softener medicines containing docusate, note that combining them with aspirin is flagged in medicine leaflets as a potential interaction. On a UK food label, look for E480 or sodium docusate as a sign the product may not comply with UK food law.
The regulatory picture here is straightforward: E480 was never authorised as a food additive in the EU or UK. The science underlying that decision includes a low JECFA-set ADI, animal toxicology data suggesting liver toxicity at high doses, and the substance's known pharmacological activity as a laxative. The US permits it in food at low levels, and some secondary glossary sites list it as a food emulsifier without noting the EU/UK ban, which can cause confusion. The honest state of the science is that the EU regulators reviewed the evidence and chose not to approve it, and the UK follows that position.
E480 is not authorised as a food additive in the UK. It does not appear on the UK FSA's approved-additives list. It was never included in the EU's positive list of permitted food additives under Regulation 1333/2008, and the UK retained that position after Brexit. Its presence on a UK food label would indicate a regulatory breach.
E numbers were assigned across a wide range of substances during the historical development of European food additive classification, including substances that were evaluated but not ultimately approved for use in food. Having an E number does not mean a substance is permitted; it means it was given a reference number in the E classification system. Only substances on the EU and UK approved lists may legally be used in food.
No UK or EU food product should legally contain E480. In the United States, where it is permitted by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.810, it can appear in certain carbonated drinks, fruit juices and nectars, gelatin, and other processed products. Any UK food product listing E480 as an ingredient would not comply with current food additive law.
Sodium docusate is synthetically manufactured and does not use animal-derived raw materials, so it is generally considered vegan. However, as it is not a permitted food additive in the UK or EU, this question is academic for anyone shopping for UK food.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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