What is E570?

Complete guide to understanding E570 (Fatty Acids/Stearic Acid) in your food

The Quick Answer

E570 is a mixture of fatty acids, most commonly stearic acid (also called octadecanoic acid), a long-chain saturated fatty acid naturally present in all animal and plant fats.

It’s used in food primarily as an anti-caking agent, anti-foaming agent, plasticizer in chewing gum, emulsifier, and flavoring agent.

E570 is one of the most “natural” food additives available—it’s a normal component of every fat you eat, and the FDA classifies it as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe).

What Exactly Is It?

E570 is a mixture of fatty acids derived from animal or plant fats, with stearic acid as the primary component.

Stearic acid is the most common saturated fatty acid in nature. It’s found in every piece of meat, butter, cheese, and plant oil you consume. When E570 is used as a food additive, it’s essentially the same stearic acid already present in your diet—just extracted and purified for specific food applications.

Chemical composition:

Commercial E570 is not pure stearic acid. It’s a mixture containing:

• Stearic acid (C₁₇H₃₅COOH): 40-90% depending on grade
• Palmitic acid (C₁₅H₃₁COOH): 10-50% depending on grade
• Oleic acid (C₁₇H₃₃COOH): Small amounts in some grades
• Other fatty acids: Lauric, myristic, capric, caprylic acids in minor amounts

Grades of commercial E570:

• Type 50: 40-60% stearic acid (most common)
• Type 70: 60-80% stearic acid
• Type 95: 90%+ stearic acid (higher purity)

How it’s made:

• Step 1 – Extraction: Animal fats (beef tallow, lard) or plant oils (cottonseed, palm, soybean, rapeseed) are treated with caustic soda or through hydrogenation
• Step 2 – Separation: The mixture is fractionally crystallized to separate the different fatty acids
• Step 3 – Purification: Stearic acid-rich fractions are isolated and further purified
• Step 4 – Cooling: The product solidifies into a white powder or waxy solid

Where You’ll Find It

E570 appears in a variety of food products:

• Chewing gum (acts as plasticizer—gives gum its characteristic texture)
• Bakery products (bread, cakes, pastries)
• Confectionery (candies, chocolate products)
• Artificial sweetener powders (prevents caking)
• Butter and cream flavorings
• Powdered seasonings and spice blends
• Food flavorings and flavor preparations
• Baked goods (margarine, cookies, crackers)
• Processed fats and oils
• Cosmetics (primary use—more common than in food)
• Pharmaceuticals (primary use—more common than in food)
• Candles, soaps, and industrial lubricants (primary uses)

E570 is one of the most widely used additives globally, though often less visible on labels than other additives because it’s so thoroughly integrated into food chemistry and manufacturing processes.

Why Do Food Companies Use It?

E570’s primary function is preventing caking and improving product texture.

Food manufacturers use fatty acids (E570) for multiple strategic advantages:

• Anti-caking: Prevents clumping in powdered sugar, sweetener powders, and spice mixes
• Anti-foaming: Reduces foam formation during food processing
• Plasticizer in chewing gum: Gives gum its characteristic elastic, chewy texture and flexibility
• Moisture resistance: Hydrophobic nature repels water, keeping powders dry and free-flowing
• Emulsifier: Helps mix oil and water components
• Lubricant: Reduces friction in processing equipment
• Flavor carrier: Acts as a vehicle for transporting flavor compounds
• Thickening agent: Increases viscosity in fats and oils
• Mouthfeel improvement: Affects texture and sensation in food products
• Water retention: Helps preserve moisture in baked goods
• Coating agent: Coats food particles to prevent sticking and caking
• Temperature stability: Melting point of 69.3°C allows it to maintain function across temperature ranges
• Cost efficiency: Relatively inexpensive; effective at very low concentrations
• Natural perception: Being a normal component of all fats makes it seem “natural” to consumers

Unique advantage in chewing gum: E570 is nearly irreplaceable in chewing gum manufacturing. It provides the exact plasticity and texture characteristics that define the chewing experience. Without stearic acid, gum would be either too hard or dissolve too quickly.

Is It Safe?

E570 is one of the safest food additives and is among the most thoroughly approved.

Approval status:

• FDA approved: Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) as a direct human food ingredient; approved as a flavoring agent and adjuvant with no limitations other than current good manufacturing practice
• EFSA approved: Listed in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as authorized food additive; classified in “Group I” with “quantum satis” use (no specific limits)
• JECFA approved: Approved as a flavoring agent with no safety concerns
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Approved with code number 570
• International approval: Approved in virtually all countries worldwide

Safety profile:

• ADI: “Not specified” by JECFA—indicating no safety concerns
• Natural occurrence: Normal component of all animal and plant fats; you consume it with every fatty meal
• Low acute toxicity: No documented toxicity at food use levels
• Subchronic toxicity: Studies show no toxic effects at doses up to 10% in diet (9,000 mg/kg body weight per day)
• No carcinogenicity: No evidence of cancer-causing potential
• No reproductive effects: Safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding
• No genotoxicity: No evidence of genetic damage
• Low absorption: Limited absorption in intestines; largely passes through unchanged
• Metabolized as normal fat: Body processes it identically to fatty acids from food
• Minimal dietary contribution: E570 represents only ~1% of overall saturated fat intake from all sources
• No documented adverse effects: Decades of safe use without documented widespread adverse effects

2017 EFSA Re-evaluation: The EFSA published a comprehensive re-evaluation in 2017 and concluded that E570 “was of no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels.”

Natural vs Synthetic Version

E570 is naturally derived but is processed:

Source and production:

• Starting material: From animal fats (beef tallow, lard) or plant oils (cottonseed, palm, soybean, rapeseed)
• Processing method: Chemical separation and purification (hydrogenation, fractional crystallization)
• Final product: Chemically identical regardless of source

Perceived “naturalness”: E570 is one of the most “natural” additives available—it’s literally a normal component of every fat in nature. However, commercial extraction and purification mean regulatory classification is “food additive” rather than “natural.”

Vegetarian/vegan status: Depends entirely on source:
• Animal-derived stearic acid (beef tallow, lard) = NOT vegetarian/vegan
• Plant-derived stearic acid (palm oil, soybean, rapeseed) = Vegetarian/vegan
• Labels marked “vegetarian” = plant-based source

Natural Alternatives

Want to avoid E570 or looking for alternative anti-caking/plasticizing agents?

Some alternatives include:

• E571 (Ammonium stearate) – Similar fatty acid salt; different properties
• E572 (Magnesium stearate) – Similar magnesium salt of stearic acid
• E573 (Aluminium stearate) – Similar aluminum salt
• E551 (Silicon dioxide) – Mineral anti-caking agent; very common
• E552 (Calcium silicate) – Mineral alternative
• E553a (Magnesium silicate) – Mineral alternative
• E553b (Talc) – Natural mineral; controversial
• E559 (Kaolin) – Natural clay alternative
• Natural starch or cellulose – Plant-based alternatives
• Beeswax or natural waxes – For some applications (more expensive)
• Accept texture limitations: Use products without anti-caking; accept potential clumping

The Bottom Line

E570 (stearic acid and fatty acids) is a naturally occurring, exceptionally safe food additive used primarily as an anti-caking agent and plasticizer.

It’s found in chewing gum (where it provides essential texture properties), bakery products, confectionery, and powdered flavorings—where it prevents caking and improves manufacturability.

E570 is approved by the FDA, EFSA, JECFA, and virtually all regulatory bodies worldwide.

Key advantages: E570 is one of the safest additives because it’s a normal component of all fats—you consume it daily in meat, dairy, and oils. The 2017 EFSA re-evaluation provided comprehensive reassurance. No specific ADI is needed because it’s so safe.

Consumer perception: For health-conscious consumers, E570 is actually one of the most acceptable additives—it’s literally the same stearic acid already in your diet, just extracted and concentrated for specific food functions.

Primary dietary consideration: For vegans and strict vegetarians, verify that E570 is plant-derived (palm, soybean, rapeseed oil) rather than animal-derived (beef tallow, lard). Labels marked “vegetarian” indicate plant sources.

E570 represents one of the best examples of a food additive that’s both highly functional and genuinely safe—being identical to compounds naturally present in the foods we eat every day.