E473Emulsifier · Stabiliser
Sucrose esters of fatty acids
What the research shows
Not enough
published research on this page yet
A man-made substance made from sugar and fats.
It binds water and oil together so they mix and stay mixed.1
- May not be vegan
- May not be vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
How it’s made and used
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Daily intake limits2
Updated estimates show sucrose esters of fatty acids (E 473) went over the daily intake limit for many groups.
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), 2020
Acceptable daily intake: up to 30 mg per kg of body weight, shared with related additives.
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 172.859
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European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Emulsifying Gelling Stabilizing Thickening Agents
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 298 products on Open Food Facts that list sucrose esters of fatty acids.
- Elmlea Double Elmlea · 270 ml 6 additives
- COCONUT MILK TESCO · 400 ml 3 additives
- No Sugar Milk koko · 1 L 4 additives
- hi-chew Morinaga · 50 g 6 additives
- Single Soya alpro · 250 g 4 additives
- coconut alternative to dairy milk Sainsbury's · 1 litre 4 additives
References
- 1Sucrose esters. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 2Younes M, Aquilina G, Castle L, et al. Re-evaluation of sucrose esters of fatty acids (E 473) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of its previous evaluations as food additive for uses in foods for all population groups. EFSA J. 2023;21(4):e07961. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7961