Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1
Function: Food Additive
E478 is the European food-additive number for Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1. Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1 (E478) is a food additive used as a food additive.
Is E478 safe or restricted?
E478 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 E478 vegan or vegetarian?
Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1 (E478) 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 E478?
E478 appears in 40 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, chocolate chips / baking chocolate and ice cream.
- Cakes16
- Chocolate Chips / Baking Chocolate3
- Ice Cream2
- Chocolate Candy2
- Tortilla / Wrap2
- Chocolate Spread1
- Rice Crackers1
- Bread Flour1
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E478 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 E478
- What is E478?
- E478 is the E-number for Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1. Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1 (E478) is a food additive used as a food additive.
- Which foods contain E478?
- E478 appears in 40 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, chocolate chips / baking chocolate and ice cream. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E478 vegan or vegetarian?
- Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propane-1 (E478) 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 E478 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E478 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 E478 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.