What is E482?
Complete guide to understanding calcium stearoyl lactylate in your food
The Quick Answer
E482 is calcium stearoyl lactylate (CSL), a versatile emulsifier and dough conditioner derived from calcium, stearic acid, and lactic acid.
It’s primarily used to improve texture, strengthen dough, extend shelf life, and prevent staling in baked goods—particularly bread, cakes, and pastries.
Most people who eat bread, cakes, or processed baked goods regularly consume small amounts of it.
📌 Quick Facts
- Category: Emulsifier, Dough Conditioner & Stabilizer
- Found in: Bread, cakes, pastries, cereals, ice cream, processed foods
- Safety: FDA-approved, EFSA-approved, ADI established at 22 mg/kg
- Approved by: FDA, EFSA, JECFA
- Key Fact: Derived from natural sources (calcium + stearic acid + lactic acid)
What Exactly Is E482?
E482 is calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (CSL), an emulsifier and dough conditioner made by combining three components: stearic acid, lactic acid, and calcium.
More specifically, stearic acid (from animal fat or vegetable oil) reacts with lactic acid to create stearoyl lactic acid. This product is then partially neutralized using food-grade calcium hydroxide (hydrated lime), creating the calcium salt form used in food.
E482 appears as a cream-colored or milky-white powder or brittle solid that is virtually odorless or has a slight caramel-like odor. It’s tasteless and slightly soluble in hot water.
In technical terms, it’s a surfactant—a molecule with both oil-attracting and water-attracting properties—that allows fats and water to mix stably and improves dough texture and handling. It’s essentially the calcium version of E481 (sodium stearoyl lactylate).
Where You’ll Find E482
E482 appears in numerous baked goods and processed foods requiring improved texture or shelf life:
– Bread and rolls
– Cakes and fine bakery wares
– Biscuits and crackers
– Pastries and desserts
– Cereals and pasta
– Instant rice and rice products
– Flavoured fermented milk products
– Creamers and cream liqueurs
– Ice cream and dairy products
– Fat and oil emulsions and spreads
– Confectionery and sweets
– Chewing gum
– Dehydrated potatoes
– Snack dips
– Sauces and gravies
– Canned meat products
– Powdered beverage mixes
If you eat bread, cakes, or processed baked goods, you’ve almost certainly consumed E482. It’s one of the most widely used emulsifiers in the food industry, along with E481.
💡 Pro Tip: Look for “Calcium stearoyl lactylate,” “Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate,” “CSL,” or “E482” on ingredient lists. It’s especially common in commercial bread where it improves volume and extends shelf life.
How E482 Works in Food
E482 serves multiple critical functions, particularly in baked goods.
As a dough conditioner (primary function in bakery): E482 strengthens dough by improving gluten formation and elasticity. It increases bread volume through better gas retention, improves crumb structure and texture, and enhances crust tenderness. Additionally, E482 slows bread staling—the retrogradation process that makes bread dry and dense over time. This is why commercially baked bread often stays soft longer than homemade bread.
As an anti-retrogradation agent: E482 works specifically to slow the starch aging process that causes bread to become stale. It retains moisture, extending shelf life and keeping bread soft.
As an emulsifier: E482 allows oil and water to remain mixed in stable emulsions. In spreads, dressings, ice cream, and other products, it prevents separation of fat and water phases, maintaining uniform texture.
As a stabilizer: E482 prevents separation of components in complex foods, maintaining consistency and extending shelf life. In fermented milk products, beverages, and other emulsified products, it keeps ingredients uniformly distributed.
Why Do Food Companies Use E482?
E482 solves critical technical problems that manufacturers face in large-scale production.
Without E482, commercial bread would have poor volume, dense crumb structure, and would stale quickly. This would result in lower quality products and higher waste. E482 allows manufacturers to produce bread with superior texture, extended shelf life, and consistent quality across batches.
In ice cream, dairy products, spreads, and other foods, E482 prevents separation and provides smooth, stable texture—important for consumer acceptance and product quality.
Is It Safe?
Regulatory authorities confirm E482 is safe for food use at approved levels.
The FDA approved calcium stearoyl lactylate as a multifunctional food additive with no restrictions beyond good manufacturing practices. The EFSA conducted a comprehensive safety re-evaluation in 2013 and established an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 22 mg/kg body weight per day for both E481 and E482 combined or separately. JECFA (the international FAO/WHO expert committee) set the ADI at 20 mg/kg body weight per day.
An ADI being established means regulatory authorities determined a safe daily intake level—actual consumption at approved use levels is far below this threshold.
✓ Safety Confirmed: The EFSA’s 2013 re-evaluation established an ADI of 22 mg/kg body weight/day for E482. This means regulatory authorities have determined it is safe for daily consumption at this level. Actual food intake levels are well below this threshold.
The EFSA’s 2013 Comprehensive Safety Re-evaluation
The European Food Safety Authority’s 2013 re-evaluation of sodium and calcium stearoyl-lactylates provides authoritative reassurance.
Key findings:
– Established ADI: 22 mg/kg body weight/day (for E481 and E482 combined or singly)
– No reproductive toxicity observed in animal studies
– No carcinogenic effects detected
– No genotoxic effects (no genetic damage)
– No adverse effects at approved food use levels
– NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level): 2200 mg/kg body weight/day from one-year rat toxicity study
– Prior JECFA ADI (1974): 20 mg/kg body weight/day
The 2013 EFSA Panel concluded that safety is assured at all approved use levels.
Understanding Exposure Levels
Actual exposure to E482 from food is well below established safety limits.
The main dietary sources of E482 are flavoured fermented milk products, bread and rolls, and fine bakery wares. For most adults and children consuming these products normally, exposure is below the established ADI of 22 mg/kg body weight per day. However, at high consumption levels of these products, some consumer groups may approach or slightly exceed the ADI—which is still designed with a 100-fold safety margin.
How E482 Is Made—Natural Origins
E482 is synthesized from naturally sourced materials.
While E482 itself is not naturally occurring, it’s manufactured from natural precursors: stearic acid (from animal fats or vegetable oils), lactic acid (from milk fermentation or carbohydrate fermentation), and calcium hydroxide (from limestone).
The manufacturing process: Stearic acid and lactic acid are combined and then partially neutralized using food-grade calcium hydroxide. The esterification reaction creates calcium stearoyl lactylate. The process is rigidly controlled to meet strict specifications for food safety.
Potential Side Effects
At approved food use levels, no adverse effects are documented.
E482 is recognized as safe by FDA and EFSA. It’s non-toxic at food-grade use levels and biodegradable. Allergic reactions are extremely rare. The breakdown products (stearic acid and lactic acid) are natural food constituents that are part of normal mammalian metabolism.
Vegan and Dietary Status
E482’s dietary status depends on the source of stearic acid:
– Vegan: Can be vegan IF stearic acid is sourced from vegetables; varies by manufacturer
– Vegetarian: Generally vegetarian, depending on source
– Halal: Yes, if stearic acid sourced from vegetables
– Kosher: Yes, certified versions available
– Natural: NOT natural—chemically synthesized, though from natural precursors
Check product packaging or contact manufacturers if vegan status is important, as sources vary.
Comparison with Related Products
E482 is part of a lactylate family of emulsifiers:
– E481: Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL) – sodium salt version
– E482: Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (CSL) – this product (calcium salt version)
– Both evaluated together with same ADI: 22 mg/kg bw/day
– Both are lactylate emulsifiers; second most popular category after mono/diglycerides
– Can be used alone or in combination in foods
E481 and E482 are functionally very similar, with the main difference being the sodium (E481) versus calcium (E482) component.
Regulatory Approval Across Regions
E482 approval is nearly universal:
– United States (FDA): Approved as multifunctional food additive (21 CFR 172.844)
– European Union (EFSA): Authorized food additive E482
– International (JECFA): FAO/WHO approved with ADI 20 mg/kg bw/day
– Australia/New Zealand: Approved
This universal approval reflects confidence in its safety across different regulatory systems and countries.
Approved Use Levels in Foods
E482 is approved at specific levels depending on food category:
– Bread and rolls: 3,000 mg/kg
– Fine bakery wares (cakes, pastries): 5,000 mg/kg
– Flavoured fermented milk products: 5,000 mg/kg
– Fat and oil emulsions: 10,000 mg/kg
– Ice cream and dairy products: 5,000 mg/kg
– Confectionery: 5,000 mg/kg
– Breakfast cereals: 5,000 mg/kg
These levels are carefully controlled to ensure safety while allowing sufficient functionality.
The Bottom Line
E482 (calcium stearoyl lactylate) is a widely used emulsifier and dough conditioner primarily used in baked goods and dairy products.
It’s derived from stearic acid, lactic acid, and calcium—all naturally sourced components—combined through controlled chemical synthesis.
Regulatory authorities worldwide classify it as safe. The EFSA established an ADI of 22 mg/kg body weight per day, and JECFA set the ADI at 20 mg/kg body weight per day.
E482 serves critical functions in bread production: improving volume, strengthening dough, improving texture, and extending shelf life by slowing staling. This is why virtually all commercial bread contains it.
At approved food use levels, actual intake is far below the established ADI threshold, ensuring safety with a 100-fold safety margin.
No adverse effects are documented at food-grade use levels. The breakdown products are natural food constituents.
E482’s dietary status (vegan, vegetarian) depends on the source of its stearic acid component—check product labels if this matters to you.
Most people eating bread, cakes, and processed baked goods consume E482 regularly without any documented health concerns.
As always, food labels must declare E482 when used, enabling informed consumer choice.