Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are mono- or diesters of glycerol with naturally occurring fatty acids .
Mono- and diglycerides are mainly used as emulsifiers in the production of baked goods and confectionery, chocolate products, margarine, baby food, cocoa powder, milk powder, mashed potatoes, rice and pasta. This property is reinforced by the addition of salts from the fatty acids (E 470a). In baked goods, the compounds interact with the starch they contain , which means that it maintains its ability to bind water longer and the baked goods do not dry out as quickly. The defoaming properties of mono- and diglycerides are used in the production of jams or jellies. Their esterified variants have weak emulsifier properties, but they significantly increase the effect of other emulsifiers and are able to hold air in food through the formation of hard surface films.
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are generally approved in the EU as food additive with the number E 471 and esterified with various acids as E 472a-f, i.e. without maximum quantity restriction ( quantum satis ) for food in general. During the esterification to E472, acetic acid ( E 472a ), lactic acid ( E 472b ), citric acid ( E 472c ), tartaric acid ( E 472d ), mono- and diacetyltartaric acid ( E 472e ) or mixed acetic and tartaric acid ( E 472f ) is used.
Mono- and diglycerides are made from fatty acids and glycerin , which are usually of vegetable origin. For vegetarians and vegans it should be noted that fatty acids and glycerine can also be of animal origin.
Natural and undesirable formation from fats
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids arise as breakdown products of dietary fats during fat digestion ( lipolysis ) and can also be found in spoiled foods.
See also
Web links
- Data set from the consumer initiative
- Possible animal origins for fatty acids / vegan education ( Memento from August 25, 2010 in the Internet Archive )