Comparing E470AIII - Calcium salts of fatty acids vs E572 - Magnesium stearate

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Overview

E470AIII - Calcium salts of fatty acids

Calcium salts of fatty acids (E470AIII) are common food additives that help ingredients mix, keep textures stable, and stop powders from clumping. You will often see them listed as “calcium stearate” or “calcium palmitate,” and they are used in very small amounts across many foods. Regulators in the U.S. and EU allow their use under good manufacturing practice.

E572 - Magnesium stearate

Magnesium stearate (E572) is a white, waxy powder used in tiny amounts to keep foods and supplements free-flowing and to stop tablets from sticking to equipment. It is the magnesium salt of common food fatty acids and is widely approved by regulators in both the U.S. and the EU for use at good manufacturing practice levels. It does not add taste or color and has no meaningful nutritional effect.

Synonyms

E470aiii

Calcium salts of fatty acids

E572

Magnesium stearate

Functions

anticaking agent emulsifier stabilizer

anticaking agent emulsifier

Origins

Products

Found in 1 products

Found in 1,447 products

Search rank & volume

🇺🇸U.S.

#8923K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

Awareness data is not available.

×2.32

over-aware

Search volume over time

Search history data is not available.

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions

Calcium salts of fatty acids why insoluble in water?
Their long hydrocarbon chains are strongly hydrophobic, and Ca2+ forms tightly bound, poorly hydrated ion pairs with the carboxylates, leading to crystalline aggregates that water cannot solvate (unlike the more soluble sodium/potassium soaps).
Calcium salts of fatty acids why insoluble in water divalent?
Because Ca2+ is divalent, it can coordinate two carboxylate groups, effectively cross-linking fatty acid anions into poorly hydrated networks that resist dissolution; monovalent cations (Na+, K+) don’t cross-link this way, so their soaps are more water‑soluble.