Sucrose Polystearate

What Is It?

Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters (Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate; Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexastearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate, Sucrose Laurate; Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Tribehenate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Sucrose Tristearate) consist of sucrose, also known as table sugar, combined with various specific fatty acids, or sucrose combined with mixtures of fatty acids from specific plants (Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polypalmate, Sucrose Polysoyate). Many of the fatty acids, including Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid and Coconut Acid occur in foods. In cosmetics and personal care products, Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters are used in a variety of products such as bath products, cleansing products, makeup products, hand and body preparations, suntan products and shampoos.

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters. Emulsion stabilizer: Sucrose Polypalmate Skin conditioning agent – emollient: Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polypalmate, Sucrose Polysoyate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Tribehenate, Sucrose Tristearate Surfactant – emulsifying agent: Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate, Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexstearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polypalmate, Sucrose Polysoyate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Trilaurate Surfactant – solubilizing agent: Sucrose Trilaurate Surfactant – suspending agent – Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexstearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate

Scientific Facts

Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters are the esters of sucrose with edible fatty acids. They may be prepared from sucrose and the methyl and ethyl esters of edible fatty acids usually in the presence of a solvent. Another procedure is to react edible fats or oils and sucrose to produce a mixture of sucrose esters of fatty acids and mono- and diglycerides, these are sometimes called “sucroglycerides”.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters as direct food additives. Sucrose oligoesters (average degree of esterification from four to seven) are also approved for use as direct food additives. The safety of many fatty acids, including Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid Myristic Acid and Coconut Acid, has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that the fatty acids were safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products. Please search this website for the specific fatty acid for more information about the CIR reviews.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters:

Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate; Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexastearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate, Sucrose Laurate; Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Tribehenate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Sucrose Tristearate, Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polypalmate and Sucrose Polysoyate may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union. Ingredients of animal origin must comply with European Union animal by-products regulations.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has reviewed the safety of the Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters. They identified an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of up to 30 mg/kg, and cautioned that these ingredients may have a laxative effect at higher doses. Link to the JECFA review document:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v35je06.htm

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/