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E492EmulsifierLow concern
Sorbitan Tristearate
In plain words
The short version
Span 65 — the lowest-HLB sorbitan ester, a chocolate-bloom suppressant.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
EFSA (2017) set a group ADI of 10 mg/kg body weight per day for sorbitan esters (E 491–495), expressed as sorbitan (about 26 mg/kg as sorbitan monostearate). In 2026 JECFA withdrew its group ADI of 0–25 mg/kg and replaced it with a temporary one of the same value, as it could not conclude on possible genotoxicity. Hydrolyzed in digestion to sorbitol and stearic acid.
The detail
Manufactured by esterifying sorbitan with three stearic-acid molecules (vs. the mono-stearate Span 60). The triester gives the lowest HLB (~2.1) of the Span family and the most lipophilic character.
Used in chocolate confectionery and candy coatings as a bloom inhibitor — slows the fat-recrystallization that produces white surface mottle on stored chocolate. Also in some icings and compound coatings for similar stability functions.
Cream-colored to tan waxy beads or flakes. Insoluble in cold water; soluble in oils.
Permitted globally with maximum-use limits per category.
Sources
- EFSA ANS Panel — Re-evaluation of sorbitan esters E 491–495 as food additives (2017), EFSA Journal 15(5):4788, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4788 (PMC full text) — European Food Safety Authority, 2017. Group ADI 10 mg/kg bw/day as sorbitan for E 491–495; E 492 = sorbitan tristearate
- WHO JECFA database — Sorbitan tristearate (INS 492), 102nd meeting (2026) — WHO / FAO JECFA, 2026. JECFA group ADI made temporary in 2026; INS number of sorbitan tristearate is 492
- EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated text of 18 August 2026 (Annex II Part B) — European Union (EUR-Lex), 2026. EU authorisation of sorbitan tristearate as E 492
Checked against these sources on .
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