E471 — Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
Also labelled: Mono- und Diglyceride von Speisefettsäuren · Emulgator E471
E471 is one of the most widely used additives in Europe and one of the least dramatic. EFSA found no need to set a numerical intake limit. The two things genuinely worth knowing are that it can be animal-derived, and that it is not the emulsifier the microbiome research is actually about.
At a glance
- E number
- E471
- Class
- Emulsifier
- Origin
- Made from fats and oils, which may be plant or animal derived
- EU status
- Authorised, quantum satis in most categories
- Acceptable daily intake
- Not specified (EFSA, 2017)
- Typically found in
- Bread, margarine, ice cream, cakes, coffee whitener, chewing gum
What it actually is
Mono- and diglycerides are fats with one or two fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone, rather than the three of ordinary dietary fat. They are made by reacting fats or oils with glycerol, and the body digests them as it digests any other fat.
They work as emulsifiers because one end is attracted to water and the other to oil, which is what keeps bread soft, stops margarine separating and gives ice cream its texture.
What EFSA concluded
EFSA re-evaluated E471 in 2017 and set the ADI as 'not specified' — the most reassuring outcome in the system, used when a substance is of such low concern that no numerical limit is needed. It reflects the fact that these are digested as ordinary fats.
EFSA did request additional data on some related emulsifiers and noted limitations in the toxicological database, so this is not a complete absence of open items — which is why Frela rates it limited rather than none.
The emulsifier–microbiome confusion
There is real and growing research on dietary emulsifiers and gut health. It is worth being precise about which emulsifiers: the influential studies focus on polysorbate 80 (E433) and carboxymethylcellulose (E466), which are synthetic and structurally unlike digestible fats.
E471 is frequently swept into headlines about that research despite being a different kind of substance. Frela rates E433 and E466 as moderate and E471 as limited for exactly this reason.
The animal-origin question
E471 can be manufactured from plant oils or animal fats, and the E number alone does not tell you which. In practice most European production is plant-based, but a product containing E471 is not automatically vegan or vegetarian.
Products certified vegan will have verified the source. Otherwise the manufacturer is the only reliable answer — this is a supply-chain fact rather than something readable from the label.
How Frela scores it
Frela rates E471 limited risk. On its own it barely moves the additive component, and it will rarely be the reason a product scores badly.
Because Frela scores by the worst additive present, E471 usually only shows up as the deciding factor in products whose ingredient lists are otherwise clean — a plain supermarket loaf, for instance.
Common questions
Is E471 vegan?
Not necessarily. It can be produced from either plant or animal fats, and the E number does not distinguish. A vegan certification on the pack is the reliable signal.
Is it linked to gut problems?
The emulsifier research generating those headlines centres on polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose, not E471. Frela rates those two higher for that reason.
Why is bread full of it?
It slows staling and improves crumb texture, which extends shelf life considerably. Its presence is a reasonable signal that a loaf is industrially produced rather than a sign of a harmful ingredient.
Sources
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E471) (2017)
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives
Last reviewed:
