How and Why Polysorbate 80 Is Used as a Food Additive

What is Polysorbate 80?  

Polysorbates are molecules commonly used in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics to enhance consistency. They have a hydrophilic group and a long hydrophobic tail (fatty acid chain), making them amphiphilic. This allows them to act as emulsifiers and surfactants in various applications.  

What Is Polysorbate 80 Powder Used For?

In food or pharmaceutical products, it can act as an emulsifier. Polysorbate 80 is an excipient that is used to stabilize aqueous formulations of medications for parenteral administration or vaccinations. A solubilizing agent acts as a surfactant and increases the solubility of one agent in another.

Polysorbate 80 Appears as a Viscous Yellow Liquid.

How Does Polysorbate 80 Differ from Other Polysorbates?  

Polysorbate exists in several forms, including polysorbate 20, 40, 60, and 80. The key difference between them lies in the type of fatty acid attached to the molecule.  

The number following "polysorbate" indicates the specific fatty acid present. In the case of polysorbate 80, the fatty acid is oleic acid. This is why polysorbate 80 is also known as polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate—where "20" refers to the number of oxyethylene groups in the molecule, independent of the fatty acid chain.  

Variations in the fatty acid chain length alter the chemical properties of each polysorbate, making them more or less suitable for different applications.

What Is an Emulsifier?  

Imagine making a salad dressing by mixing oil and vinegar in a jar. When you shake the jar, the liquids combine temporarily, but soon separate into distinct layers. This happens because oil consists of lipids, while vinegar is water-based. Oil molecules, being hydrophobic, resist mixing with water since breaking their intermolecular forces to bond with vinegar is not energetically favorable.  

An emulsifier, such as polysorbate 80, helps bridge this gap by stabilizing the mixture. Polysorbate 80 has both a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail, allowing it to interact with both water and oil. This makes it an effective non-ionic, low molecular weight amphiphilic emulsifier, meaning it does not carry a charge.  

Emulsifiers can also be naturally occurring in food. For instance, lecithin—a phospholipid found in plants and egg yolks—acts as a natural surfactant, helping to keep ingredients blended.

What is Food-grade Polysorbate 80?  

Polysorbates are available in various chemical grades based on their intended applications. Food-grade polysorbate 80 is specifically formulated for use as a food additive, ensuring compliance with regulatory limits on usage. It adheres to higher quality standards than cosmetic-grade polysorbate, making it suitable for consumption.

Why is Polysorbate 80 Added to Foods?  

Due to its amphiphilic structure, polysorbate 80 serves as an effective low-molecular-weight emulsifier. It is commonly used to enhance the texture, consistency, and smoothness of foods and can also act as a preservative.  

Cocoa Powder as an Example  

When processing cocoa, cocoa butter is extracted from the beans, and the beans are roasted to produce cocoa powder. However, some cocoa butter remains after extraction, which enhances the mouthfeel and flavor of chocolate-based products, such as chocolate drink mixes. Without an emulsifier, the cocoa butter may separate, negatively affecting the product’s overall quality and sensory appeal. Adding polysorbate 80 helps maintain a uniform mixture.  

Other Common Uses of Polysorbate 80 in Food:  

- Enhancing firmness and volume in breads and baked goods  

- Solubilizing oils into water-based products  

- Stabilizing oil-in-water emulsions, such as salad dressings  

- Preventing cocoa butter separation in chocolate products  

- Improving the texture and consistency of nonfat ice creams

Is Polysorbate 80 a Safe Food Additive?  

Polysorbate 80, also known as E433, is an approved emulsifier used in food products. Regulatory agencies have established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 25 mg per kilogram of body weight.  

While some preliminary studies suggest that high doses of polysorbate 80 and similar compounds may negatively affect gut health—potentially contributing to issues like intestinal inflammation, increased permeability, and colitis—these studies were conducted on animals using doses far higher than typical human consumption. More research, particularly in humans, is needed to fully understand its long-term safety.

Conclusion  

Polysorbate 80 is a low-molecular-weight, nonionic, amphiphilic compound widely used as a food emulsifier. It enhances the texture, consistency, and mouthfeel of various food products. Food-grade polysorbate 80 is commonly used in bakery goods to improve density, as a solubilizer in water-oil mixtures, and as a texture enhancer in chocolate and ice cream.