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Esters of polyglycerides and fatty acids – an additive that is found on food labels under the code E475. Its widespread use, from confectionery to dietary and baby food, is due to the high level of safety for human health. Interestingly, the simplest variety of this substance is available to everyone at home – the vegetable oil remaining after frying consists of a combination of polyglycerides and fatty acids. The additive is one of the most inexpensive and popular for production, it is widely used in any category of products, from simple and cheap to elite delicacies.
Synthesis of a substance, its chemical properties
There is no question of any naturalness of the additive – it is mined in laboratory conditions and it does not occur in wildlife. The preparation of the E475 component occurs during the condensation of glycerol, which is then subjected to transesterification with fatty acids: oleic, stearic, or others. If the mixture has a low content of glycerin, it is in a liquid, oily state. If the amount of glycerol is increased during the synthesis process, the resulting additive becomes solid and crumbles easily. In the future, it is processed into powder, however, in the food industry, a powdered substance is used infrequently, preferring the liquid version.
In appearance, the additive has a transparent texture, if it is an oil, and a light yellow, ocher, amber color. In the form of a hard wax, the substance becomes more turbid and acquires a characteristic brown color.
The smell of the additive is most often absent, or there may be a slight aroma of the starting substances. It has a neutral, slightly oily taste.
The substance does not dissolve in cold water, but at a water temperature above 35-40 degrees Celsius, the dissolution process may begin. It also dissolves poorly in oils, unlike alcohols – there will be no problems with dissolving E475 in them. Subject to interaction with alkalis and hydrogen.
One of the reasons for the popularity of the additive in food production is its resistance to high temperatures. Due to this property, the products do not burn during the cooking process.
As a stabilizer, esters of polyglycerides and fatty acids help improve the structure and nutritional properties of the product, give them stability and immutability. They are also used as emulsifiers in the process of mixing components of different structure.
In addition, the additive reduces the oxidizability of the product, protects it from weathering, for example, butter – from the formation of a brown crust on the surface.
Application in food and other industries
The main technological method of introducing the additive into the food being prepared is mixing it with melted fat or heavy cream at a temperature of 60-65 degrees Celsius. The resulting substance is subjected to emulsification for 10-15 minutes, after which it can be added to the feedstock in accordance with the prescription.
Food additive E475 can be found in such products:
- vegetable substitutes for dairy products;
- desserts;
- emulsified liqueurs;
- sugary confectionery (for example, marshmallow or caramel);
- mayonnaise, ice cream mixtures, margarine.
The main purpose of the substance in the listed paragraphs is to prevent the breakdown of the fat and water components, and to stabilize the structure.
In the production of bread and flour products, the additive is added to the flour – this contributes to the compaction of the structure, but at the same time it remains airy and voids do not appear in it.
E475 is added to oils and cooking oils as an anti-foaming agent that prevents splashing.
In addition, esters of polyglycerides and fatty acids can be used in the composition of food colors, in various mixtures for weight loss, convenience foods, seasonings, spices and dry bases of flavored drinks.
The property of retaining moisture opened the way for the additive to the cosmetic industry: in the process of its interaction with alkalis, raw materials for the production of soap are obtained. It is also used in the manufacture of moisturizers, hair masks and lip balms, often in place of petroleum jelly. In this case, manufacturers sometimes mislead the consumer by labeling E475 on the label as vegetable lanolin. However, the latter is a wax that is extracted from sheep’s wool and has several other skin-friendly properties. Additive E475, being essentially a fat, creates an invisible film on the skin that temporarily retains moisture and only creates a feeling of hydration.
Other industrial uses are the manufacture of fertilizers and soil preparations, as well as the production of technical solvents.
Substance packaging requirements
The main condition is that the container in which the additive is located must have a polyethylene lining, and only from food grade polyethylene.
Most often it is packed in cardboard boxes, kraft paper bags. Less often – in polyethylene barrels.
Impact on human health
Scientists have no information about the usefulness of polyglyceride esters and fatty acids for the human body. Usually, when it comes to synthetic food additives, the world community comes to a compromise: it is enough that the substance is not harmful, and then both manufacturers and consumers can evaluate the main advantages of its use.
The daily norm of esters of polyglycerides and fatty acids, acceptable for consumption by an adult, is not more than 25 mg per 1 kilogram of body weight.
The body perceives the supplement as fat, and digests it with the help of the lipase enzyme. Polyglycerides that have not been cleaved are excreted by the kidneys.
In almost all countries in the world, the stabilizer and emulsifier E475 is approved for use. The only danger that accompanies the use of products with this substance in the composition is an increase in their calorie content, since it has a fatty structure. For this reason, people with overweight, diseases of the pancreas, bile ducts and liver should not get carried away with food with the code E475.
Studies conducted with the participation of humans and experimental animals have not revealed any oncogenic, toxic, allergic or mutagenic properties of the substance. There is also no information on the relationship between the use of the supplement and the appearance of infertility. In contact with the skin, the additive does not cause any negative reactions or allergic symptoms.
Food additive E475, although it has an artificial, synthetic origin, is today considered one of the most harmless. Due to the properties of emulsification, stabilization and moisture retention, the substance is widely used in food products, it is found in cosmetics as a moisturizing component. Its relative cheapness and effectiveness, as well as the absence of a negative impact on the human body and the environment, are the factors due to which the use of this food additive is allowed in Ukraine, Russia, the USA, and the countries of the European Union. Nevertheless, research on the properties and consequences of substance use continues today.