E476Emulsifier
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate
What the research shows
No concerns
none of the findings here link it to harm
An emulsifier made from glycerol and fatty acids.
It helps chocolate flow more easily by reducing friction between solid particles.1
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
Studies in people
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No harm found
Human tolerance of an additive2
People who ate polyglycerol polyricinoleate in soups, cakes and toffee showed no bad effects.
Study type not stated
-
Open question
What's still unknown about this additive3
Scientists still do not know the full makeup of polyglycerol polyricinoleate, and some natural ingredients can partly replace it.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
What expert reviews concluded
Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.
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UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1973
Acceptable daily intake: up to 7.5 mg per kg of body weight.
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 2,990 products on Open Food Facts that list polyglycerol polyricinoleate.
- Granola L'Original LU · 200 g e 5 additives
- مارغرين المائدة Lilia · 400 g 7 additives
- Pauz pauz · 50 g 3 additives
- Véritable Petit Écolier Chocolat au Lait Mondelez International · 150 g (12x 12.5 g) e 6 additives
- Brunch bar choc chip Cadbury · 5 Bars 4 additives
- Dark Chocolate Cadbury Bournville · 180 g 2 additives
References
- 1Polyglycerol polyricinoleate. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 2Wilson R, Smith M. Human studies on polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR). Food Chem Toxicol. 1998;36(9-10):743-5. doi:10.1016/s0278-6915(98)00058-1
- 3Su C, De Meulenaer B, Van der Meeren P. Analytics and applications of polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR)-Current research progress. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2023;22(6):4282-4301. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.13223