Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids

Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 802 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids802
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
FDA Status
Approved
Safety Score
3/5

Function

EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT

Safety Assessment

Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids currently appears in 802 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status — currently "Approved" — with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

In food manufacturing, Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids functions as a emulsifier or emulsifier salt, solvent or vehicle, stabilizer or thickener, surface-active agent. That technical role explains why it recurs across many product categories — formulators select specific additives for stability, shelf life, color, or texture performance, and substitution is rarely a one-for-one swap when regulations or consumer preferences shift. Inspection and outbreak data often trace back to breakdown in the control of exactly these kinds of functional ingredients, either through contaminated batches, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling errors that trigger FDA-initiated recalls.

No specific concern flags are attached to Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Approved 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 802 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 802 products

10” Chocolate Cake Filled with Chocolate Mousse
Kirkland
55/100
12 mini gold cupcakes
Unknown
0/100
12 mini gold cupcakes with buttercreme icing
Unknown
0/100
2 artificially flavored vanilla muffins
Unknown
100/100
2 golden muffins
Unknown
100/100
2 Layer Cake
Dean's Cake House
35/100
20 mini choco cakes
Chocoramo
100/100
3-Layer Gelatin, 3-Layer
Angelica's
25/100
39% vegetable oil spread
Psst...
100/100
6 Chocolate Slices
Mr Kipling
85/100
6 CT WHITE & CHOCOLATE CUP WITH WHIPPED ICING
Walmart
0/100
8 Powdered Donuts
Unknown
100/100
8" Balloon Single Layer Yellow Cake With Whipped Icing
Unknown
25/100
8'' single layer chocolate cake
Unknown
100/100
advanced omega
Nutrilite
100/100
Albertsons bakery, tuxedo truffle parfait
Unknown
65/100
Allan, bear bites gummy candy
Allan
0/100
Almond strawberry granola crunch
Unknown
75/100
Ambrosia Delight
Unknown
95/100
Angel Food Cake With Strawberry Icing
The Bakery
75/100
Apple Crumb Cakes
Entenmann's
100/100
Arnott's, tim tam cookies, chewy caramel
Arnott's
0/100
Arnott's, tim tam, cookies, classic dark
Arnott's
95/100
Artificially flavored chocolate muffins
Unknown
100/100
Assorted cupcakes
Unknown
50/100
Assorted cupcakes
Unknown
100/100
Assorted cupcakes
Unknown
75/100
Assorted gelatin bits in creamy topping parfait
Unknown
100/100
Assorted With Frosted Soft'Ees Donuts, Plain, Powdered, Frosted
Freihofer's
100/100
Back-to-school mini cupcakes
Unknown
0/100
Bae Hong Dong
Nongshim
100/100
Bake shop cup cake cookies
Unknown
75/100
Baked Wheat Cracker With Chocolate
Meiji
100/100
Bakery delights blueberry crumb cake bars, blueberry
Unknown
100/100
Bakery delights cinnamon crumb cake
Unknown
100/100
Bakery fresh goodness, s'mores brownies
Bakery Fresh Goodness, The Kroger Co.
65/100
Bakery Pie
Specialty Bakers
60/100
Baker’s Delights Mini Apple Crumb Cakes
Entenmann’s
100/100
Banana Coconut Milk
elp
75/100
Banana creme pie
The Bakery Baked With Pride
35/100
Banana creme pie
Unknown
100/100
Banana Creme Pie
Beehive
35/100
Banana Kick Corn Puffs Banana
Nongshim,Nongshim America
100/100
Banana Nut Muffins
Meijer
100/100
Banana nut muffins, banana nut
Unknown
100/100
Barny Bear Chocolate
Mondelez
100/100
Barny biscuits-sponge chocolate filling
Mondelez international inc
100/100
Barny biscuits-sponge chocolate filling
Unknown
100/100
Barny biscuits-sponge forest fruit
Unknown
100/100
Barny biscuits-sponge strawberry
Mondelez
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids safe to eat?

Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids has a safety score of 3/5. FDA status: Approved. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids?

Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids is found in 802 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids do in food?

Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids is used as a emulsifier or emulsifier salt, solvent or vehicle, stabilizer or thickener, surface-active agent in food products.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.