Stearyl Tartrate
The short version
A tartrate ester of stearyl alcohol — a former food additive, no longer authorised in the EU since 23 April 2024.
A former flour-treatment agent. In 2020 EFSA could not assess its safety because the toxicity data were not adequate, and the EU removed it from its list of food additives from 23 April 2024 when no one committed to provide them. That's why we flag it.
Safety profile
JECFA did not set an ADI. In 1965 it set an acceptable level of treatment of up to 500 mg/kg flour, and in 2000 it could draw no conclusions on proposed uses because information on toxicity and intake was not available. In 2020 EFSA found that adequate data showing its complete hydrolysis in the gut were lacking, and that the toxicity data were not adequate. It therefore could not assess its safety or confirm the acceptable intake set by the SCF in 1978.
Sources
- JECFA database: Stearyl tartrate (INS 483), evaluations 1965 and 2000 — WHO / FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2000. JECFA set a flour treatment level, not an ADI; no conclusions in 2000
- EFSA FAF Panel: Re-evaluation of stearyl tartrate (E 483) as a food additive (EFSA Journal 2020;18(3):6033, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6033), PMC full text — European Food Safety Authority, 2020. Safety could not be assessed; hydrolysis data lacking; SCF intake not confirmed
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2379 removing stearyl tartrate (E 483) from the Union list — European Commission (EUR-Lex), 2023. E 483 deleted from EU list, applying from 23 April 2024
Checked against these sources on .
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