Comparing E1517 - Glyceryl diacetate vs E1518 - Glyceryl triacetate

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Overview

E1517 - Glyceryl diacetate

Glyceryl diacetate (E1517), also called diacetin, is an ester made from glycerol and acetic acid. Food makers use it mainly as a mild, neutral-tasting solvent and moisture keeper to help flavors mix and textures stay soft.

E1518 - Glyceryl triacetate

Glyceryl triacetate (E1518), also called triacetin, is a clear, nearly odorless liquid used in foods mainly as a carrier for flavors and to help keep moisture and texture. It blends flavor ingredients evenly and helps them stay stable during processing and storage.

Synonyms

E1517

Glyceryl diacetate

E1518

Glyceryl triacetate

Triacetin

glycerin triacetate

1‚2‚3-triacetoxypropane

Functions

carrier humectant

Origins

Products

Found in 0 products

Found in 119 products

Search rank & volume

#55710 / mo🇺🇸U.S.

#2432K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

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×2.36

over-aware

Search volume over time

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Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions

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Why is triacetin bad for you?
It isn’t generally considered bad for you—regulators (e.g., EU as E1518; JECFA/EFSA) regard it as safe at permitted food-use levels and it’s metabolized to glycerol and acetate. Large exposures can cause mild gastrointestinal upset if ingested or irritation on skin/eyes from the neat liquid.
What is triacetin made from?
Triacetin is the triester of glycerol and acetic acid, typically produced by acetylating glycerol with acetic acid or acetic anhydride.
What is triacetin used for?
In foods it serves as a carrier/solvent for flavors, humectant, and emulsifier (and plasticizer in gum base); it’s also used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as a solvent and plasticizer for capsules and topical formulations.
How to make triacetin?
Industrially it’s made by esterifying glycerol with acetic acid or acetic anhydride in the presence of an acid catalyst, then removing water and purifying (e.g., by distillation) to obtain glycerol triacetate.
How triacetin acts as penetration enhancer?
As a lipophilic solvent/plasticizer, triacetin partitions into stratum corneum lipids, increases their fluidity, and improves drug partitioning and diffusion; it can also raise the solubility of actives at the skin surface.