Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
Function: Emulsifier
E472B is the European food-additive number for Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472b) is an emulsifier used as a food additive.
What is E472B used for?
Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472B) is an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all emulsifiers (E-numbers).
Is E472B safe or restricted?
E472B is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E472B vegan or vegetarian?
Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472B) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E472B?
E472B appears in 1,031 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, pastry and mousse.
- Cakes150
- Pastry102
- Mousse71
- Chocolate Candy47
- Cake Mixes38
- Ice Cream31
- Sweet Pastries28
- Heavy Cream27
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E472B across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E472B
- What is E472B?
- E472B is the E-number for Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472b) is an emulsifier used as a food additive.
- What is E472B used for?
- Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472B) is an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E472B?
- E472B appears in 1,031 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, pastry and mousse. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E472B vegan or vegetarian?
- Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472B) can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which source was used — so its vegan status genuinely depends on the specific product. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E472B safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E472B is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E472B — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.