E-numbers / Thickeners & emulsifiers / E494
also: SPAN 80
A plant-derived emulsifier that stops oil and water separating in foods such as baked goods, confectionery coatings and cake mixes.
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Sorbitan monooleate is a non-ionic emulsifier made by reacting sorbitol (a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruit) with oleic acid (the main fatty acid in olive oil).
Sorbitan monooleate is a non-ionic emulsifier made by reacting sorbitol (a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruit) with oleic acid (the main fatty acid in olive oil). The sorbitol ring loses a water molecule during processing, forming sorbitan, which is then esterified with oleic acid. It belongs to the sorbitan esters family (E491 to E496), which share the same basic structure but differ in which fatty acid is attached.
Acts as an oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsifier, meaning it sits at the boundary between fat and water molecules and holds them together in a stable mixture. This prevents ingredients from separating, helps fats disperse evenly through a batter or filling, and improves texture and shelf life. In confectionery it helps cocoa butter and sugar stay blended; in baked goods it keeps fat evenly distributed so the crumb stays soft.
Most common in cake mixes, confectionery coatings and chocolate products, cream-based fillings, bakery margarines and shortenings, and some sugar confectionery. Also used as a carrier or dispersant for food colours and flavourings. On a UK ingredient label it appears as 'sorbitan monooleate' or 'E494'.
EFSA evaluated the full group of sorbitan esters (E491-E496) and set a combined group acceptable daily intake of 25 mg/kg body weight per day. The panel concluded that at typical food-use levels the group does not raise a safety concern. No genotoxicity signal was identified in the studies reviewed.
EFSA's Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources (ANS) set a group ADI of 25 mg/kg body weight per day for sorbitan esters E491-E496, based on a 90-day rat study, and did not identify a genotoxicity concern.
After ingestion, sorbitan esters are hydrolysed in the gut into their component parts: sorbitol (or sorbitan) and the fatty acid. Both are normal components of the diet and are metabolised through ordinary pathways. No accumulation in tissues has been reported in animal studies.
Sorbitan esters are largely hydrolysed in the gastrointestinal tract to sorbitol and fatty acids, which are then absorbed and metabolised through normal routes; limited intact absorption of the ester itself is expected.
At very high doses in animal studies, sorbitan esters produced mild, reversible changes in the lining of the small intestine. These effects were not observed at doses relevant to normal food consumption. No comparable effect has been documented in human dietary studies.
High-dose animal studies showed reversible intestinal villous changes; the EFSA review concluded these were not relevant at ADI-level exposures from food use.
No specific population group is required to avoid E494 under current UK or EU food law. People managing very high intakes of multiple sorbitan esters across different products may wish to track combined exposure against the group ADI; look for 'E491', 'E492', 'E493', 'E494', 'E495' or 'E496' on labels, as all count toward the same daily limit.
Sorbitan monooleate is one of the most thoroughly reviewed emulsifiers in the food additive toolkit. It has been in continuous food use for decades, evaluated multiple times by both JECFA and EFSA, and no credible adverse signal at realistic dietary exposures has emerged from that body of work. The science is not contested or unsettled in the way it is for some synthetic additives; the main regulatory activity is periodic re-evaluation that has consistently produced the same outcome. The intestinal effects seen in high-dose animal studies are not considered relevant to the amounts found in food.
No. E494 is authorised for use in the UK under the assimilated EU food additives regulation. Its status was confirmed on the UK FSA regulated products register at 31 December 2020.
No. They are related but different. Sorbitan monooleate (E494) is the base ester. Polysorbate 80 (E433) is made by reacting sorbitan monooleate with ethylene oxide, adding a chain of polyoxyethylene groups. Polysorbates are more water-soluble than sorbitan esters and have a different regulatory profile.
It is most commonly found in confectionery coatings, chocolate products, cake mixes, filled bakery goods, and margarines used in baking. It can also appear in any product where a fat-soluble emulsifier has been used in the flavouring or colour system, even if the food itself is not fatty.
Usually yes. Sorbitan monooleate is produced from sorbitol (a plant-derived sugar alcohol) and oleic acid, which is most commonly sourced from plant oils (rapeseed, sunflower, soya). However, oleic acid can in principle be derived from animal tallow. Manufacturers rarely disclose the fatty-acid source on pack, so confirmed-vegan shoppers should contact the manufacturer directly.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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