EFSA - Re‐evaluation of sucrose esters of fatty acids (E 473) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow‐up of its previous evaluations as food additive for uses in foods for all population groups

Sucrose esters of fatty acids (E 473) were re-evaluated in 2004 by the former EFSA Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC Panel). 

In 2010, 2012 and 2018, the Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) was requested to assess the safety of E 473 for its uses as food additive in food for infants below 16 weeks of age. 

The Panel concluded that the technical data provided by the interested business operators support an amendment of the specifications for sucrose esters of fatty acids (E 473) laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. 

When the updated exposure estimates considering the provided use levels for some food categories are taken into account, the estimates of exposure to E 473 exceeded the group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 40 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day for many population groups.