E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E491
also: SPAN 60 · sorbitan stearate
A waxy emulsifier made from sorbitol and stearic acid, used to keep fats and water blended smoothly in baked goods and confectionery.
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Dried Yeast (93%), Emulsifier (Sorbitan Monostearate), Flour Treatment Agents (Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Amylase), Salt, Wheat Flour, Wheat Starch.
Sorbitan monostearate is produced by reacting sorbitol (a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruits) with stearic acid (a common saturated fatty acid from animal or vegetable fats).
Sorbitan monostearate is produced by reacting sorbitol (a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruits) with stearic acid (a common saturated fatty acid from animal or vegetable fats). The result is a waxy, cream-coloured solid. It belongs to the sorbitan ester family, which also includes E492 to E495.
It acts as an emulsifier by sitting at the boundary between fat and water, preventing them from separating. In baked goods it stabilises the fat in the dough, giving a more even crumb and extending shelf life. In chocolate and confectionery coatings it reduces fat bloom (the white streaky coating that forms when cocoa butter migrates to the surface). In yeast-raised products it can strengthen the dough and improve gas retention.
Most commonly found in cakes, sweet biscuits, pastry mixes, chocolate coatings, icing, margarine, and some cream fillings. Also used in yeast preparations and enzyme preparations used in food processing. On a UK label it appears as 'emulsifier (E491)' or 'emulsifier (sorbitan monostearate)'.
In 2017 EFSA's food additives panel re-evaluated all five sorbitan esters and set a new group acceptable daily intake of 10mg/kg body weight per day, expressed as sorbitan. This was reduced from the 1974 level of 25mg/kg bw/day. At the 95th percentile of consumption, toddlers reached estimated intakes around 10.6mg/kg bw/day in the most conservative modelling scenario, putting the heaviest young consumers close to the group limit. EFSA concluded there was no safety concern at typical use levels but noted that toddler intakes warrant monitoring if use levels increase.
EFSA set a group ADI of 10mg/kg body weight per day for sorbitan esters (E491-E495), reduced from 25mg/kg bw/day set in 1974, based on a NOAEL of 2,600mg/kg bw/day from a long-term mouse study with a 100-fold uncertainty factor.
Under a refined non-brand-loyal exposure scenario, toddlers showed the highest estimated intakes, reaching approximately 10.6mg/kg bw/day at the mean in the most conservative scenario, approaching the group ADI.
The 2017 EFSA review concluded that sorbitan esters do not raise concern for genotoxicity, though the data were limited for some individual esters. Long-term rodent studies showed no carcinogenic effect. Reproductive and developmental toxicity studies found no adverse effects, though the panel noted limitations in some of the underlying study data.
EFSA concluded that sorbitan esters did not raise concern with respect to genotoxicity, and long-term rodent studies showed no indication of carcinogenicity.
In 2025, EFSA's Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings assessed a proposed extension of E491 use into enzyme preparations used in food processing. This is a specialised industrial application rather than a direct consumer intake route. EFSA's review focused on whether the existing group ADI remains adequate for the extended use.
EFSA's FAF Panel issued a scientific opinion in 2025 on the safety of amending E491's conditions of use in enzyme preparations, part of ongoing regulatory maintenance of the permitted additives list.
No group is required to avoid it by regulators. Children who eat large quantities of cakes, biscuits and confectionery may approach the group ADI for sorbitan esters if multiple E491-E495 additives are present together. Look for 'emulsifier (E491)', 'emulsifier (E492-E495)', or 'sorbitan monostearate' on the label if tracking total sorbitan ester intake.
Sorbitan monostearate is one of the more thoroughly evaluated emulsifiers in the EU permitted list. It has been in food use for decades, and EFSA reviewed it in full in 2017. The main output of that review was a tightening of the group ADI from 25 to 10mg/kg bw/day, reflecting updated methods rather than a new hazard signal. Toddlers eating large amounts of biscuits and cakes daily can approach that revised limit, which is why it sits as a monitoring point rather than an outright concern. The underlying animal and genotoxicity data do not show carcinogenic or reproductive effects. The science is settled enough that no major agency has flagged it as a priority concern, though toddler exposure monitoring remains part of EFSA's ongoing work.
No. Sorbitan monostearate is permitted in the UK under the FSA approved-additives list, which retained EU Regulation 1333/2008 after Brexit. It is also permitted across the EU.
There is no regulatory restriction on children consuming E491. However, EFSA's 2017 review found that toddlers who eat high amounts of cakes and biscuits can approach the group acceptable daily intake for sorbitan esters (which covers E491 through to E495 combined). Toddler intakes warrant attention if those foods make up a large proportion of the diet.
E491 is most commonly used in cakes, sweet biscuits, pastry mixes, chocolate and confectionery coatings, icing, cream fillings, and margarine. It also appears in some yeast preparations. Look for 'emulsifier (E491)' or 'sorbitan monostearate' in the ingredients list.
Not necessarily. Sorbitan monostearate is made using stearic acid, which can be derived from animal fats (typically beef tallow) or from vegetable sources such as palm oil or soya. The label does not specify the source. Consumers wanting to avoid animal-derived versions would need to contact the manufacturer directly.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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