Comparing E476 - Polyglycerol polyricinoleate vs E491 - Sorbitan monostearate

Synonyms
E476
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate
PGPR
E491
Sorbitan monostearate
Products

Found in 1,962 products

Found in 2,328 products

Search rank & volume
#2232.9K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#2461.8K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×0.22
under-aware

×0.12
under-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

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

Popular questions
  1. What is pgpr in chocolate?

    PGPR (E476) is an emulsifier used in chocolate to reduce viscosity and yield stress so the melted chocolate flows and coats or molds more easily, often alongside lecithin.

  2. Is pgpr banned in europe?

    No—PGPR (E476) is approved in the EU and permitted at set maximum levels (about 0.5% in chocolate); EFSA has established an acceptable daily intake.

  3. What is pgpr in food?

    It’s a fat‑soluble emulsifier made from glycerol and fatty acids (often from castor or soybean oil) used to stabilize fat systems and improve texture and flow in products like chocolate, spreads, and dressings.

  4. What is pgpr in chocolate bars?

    It’s the emulsifier that helps the chocolate mass flow smoothly during manufacturing, enabling uniform texture and easier molding, sometimes allowing less cocoa butter.

  5. What is pgpr in hershey's chocolate?

    It refers to the same emulsifier added in small amounts to improve flow and processing; whether a specific Hershey’s product contains it can be seen on its ingredient list.

  1. Is sorbitan monostearate safe?

    Yes—E491 is an approved food emulsifier; EFSA set a group ADI of 10 mg/kg body weight per day (expressed as sorbitan) for sorbitan esters, and it’s considered safe at permitted use levels.

  2. Is sorbitan monostearate vegan?

    Not always—the stearic acid can be sourced from either vegetable oils or animal fat, so vegan status depends on the supplier; check with the manufacturer for plant-derived sources.

  3. What is sorbitan monostearate made from?

    It’s an ester of sorbitan (from dehydrated sorbitol) and stearic acid, which can come from vegetable oils (e.g., palm/soy) or animal fat (tallow).

  4. E491 what is it made from?

    E491 is produced by reacting sorbitan (derived from sorbitol) with stearic acid; the stearic acid may be plant- or animal-derived.

  5. How is sorbitan monostearate and sorbitan tristearate different?

    Sorbitan monostearate (E491) has one stearic acid group, while sorbitan tristearate (E492) has three. The tri-ester is more lipophilic (lower HLB) and is used for stronger water-in-oil emulsification and fat crystal control compared with the mono-ester.