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Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481)

Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481) is one of the markers Open Food Facts uses to classify a food as ultra-processed (NOVA group 4).

What it is and why it counts

Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.

Cosmetic additives

NOVA calls these additives "cosmetic": they change how a product looks, feels or tastes rather than keeping it safe to eat. Their presence is one of the two defining signs of an ultra-processed food.

Function

Emulsifier
Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
Stabiliser
Stabilisers are substances which make it possible to maintain the physico-chemical state of a foodstuff; stabilisers include substances which enable the maintenance of a homogenous dispersion of two or more immiscible substances in a foodstuff, substances which stabilise, retain or intensify an existing colour of a foodstuff and substances which increase the binding capacity of the food, including the formation of cross-links between proteins enabling the binding of food pieces into re-constituted food.

Functional class definitions from the EU food additives regulation, via Open Food Facts.

More about sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481) on Wikidata

Where it turns up

Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481) appears in 277 of the 40,000 products on this site (1%).

Products containing sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481)

Showing the 60 most popular of 277.

How the NOVA classification works