E494 / Thickeners, stabilisers & emulsifiers
Sorbitan monooleate
Safety in brief
Use caution
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- No allergen or sensitivity is recorded for this ingredient here. Check the whole product label; this is not an allergen-free guarantee.
- Our advice
- Read the whole food label and consider how often you eat the product. A name or E number does not tell you the amount, and an ingredient rating cannot assess the entire food.
What it is
Sorbitan monooleate is an ester of sorbitol and oleic acid used primarily as an emulsifier and surfactant in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical formulations. It helps oil and water blend and stay mixed, improving the stability of lotions, creams, and food dressings, and also acts as a dispersing agent. It is approved by EFSA and the FDA within regulated limits; the oleic acid may be sourced from plant oils or animal fat.
Also appears on labels as: Sorbitan monooleate, Span 80, E494, E 494, E-494, INS 494, Monooleate of sorbitan, Sorbitol monooleate, Oleic acid ester of sorbitan, Sorbitan ester of oleic acid, Non-ionic surfactant E494, Emulsifier E494.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Depends on source
- Halal
- Depends on source
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- None recorded
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Selected research on E494
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of sorbitan esters
Set a group safe daily limit of 10 mg sorbitan per kg of body weight. Intake did not exceed it in any age group.
Summaries of each source's published abstract or statement, checked . This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Generally recognized as safe at typical food use levels.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Re‐evaluation of sorbitan monostearate (E 491), sorbitan tristearate (E 492), sorbitan monolaurate (E 493), sorbitan monooleate (E 494) and sorbitan monopalmitate (E 495) when used as food additives — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2017). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
- Safety evaluation of sorbitan esters used as food emulsifiers — Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), WHO Technical Report Series (2015). The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluated the safety of sorbitan monolaurate (E 493) and sorbitan monooleate (E 494) as food additives. The committee established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 25 mg/kg body weight for these sorbitan esters. No adverse effects were observed in toxicological studies at the levels of use as food additives.[safe]
Country rules
Country checks for E494
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Annex II Part B, version , contains the exact code E494: Sorbitan monooleate. Listing alone does not allow every food use. Part E food categories, limits, specifications and applicable later acts still need a product-specific check. Source read: . |
| Great Britain | The FSA register record for E494 (Sorbitan monooleate) lists “Authorised” in England, Scotland and Wales. Register updated: 01 April 2025; record checked: . Food-specific conditions and specifications still need a separate legal check. |
| United States | Selected US conditions for Sorbitan monooleate Official federal text current through ; read . Food uses, limits and exceptionsNamed preparation and use conditions This is a specific sugar-clarification use: an emulsifier in polymer dispersions at no more than 7.5% of the dispersion, with at most 0.70 ppm in sugar juice or 1.4 ppm in sugar liquor. The specified ester and analytical specifications must match. A percentage in the processing dispersion is not the permitted percentage in food. EatMatrix’s reading: a legal use condition answers where and how an ingredient may be used. It is not a test of your product, a personal safe intake or a claim that the ingredient benefits your body. Match the named substance, food and amount. Other federal provisions, food standards, state rules and later changes may also apply; this is a selected source review, not a complete product-compliance decision. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | No exact named entry located in the reviewed additive lists No exact named food-additive entry was located in the 15 current lists for Sorbitan Monooleate. Sorbitan trioleate is a different ester. EatMatrix reading: Do not claim a permitted additive use from this review. Exact preparation, intended use and any applicable separate legal provision need confirmation; this table result is not a toxicology verdict or proof of a universal ban. Name and category review: . This describes the legal source check, not a finding that the ingredient is safe, unsafe or untested. Sources and names checkedNames checked: Sorbitan monooleate; Sorbitan Monooleate. All 15 Health Canada permitted-additive lists were checked by exact name, with the reviewed alternatives above. E-numbers alone are not Canadian ingredient names. The Justice Canada consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026. A complete product decision also requires its composition, specifications, intended food and use, quantities, applicable separate provisions and any later changes. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 1 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment sources
- Commission-listed EFSA references for E494. Bibliographic identity checked; latest findings and current use rules need separate review.
- Original ingredient record
- 2 research links; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| WHO | Use caution |
| EFSA | Safe |
| Japan | Safe |
| UK FSA | Safe |
Official assessment sources for E494
The European Commission’s re-evaluation table lists official EFSA documents for this additive. Their identifiers and subjects were checked against publisher bibliographic records. A missing research link in the EatMatrix database does not mean the additive has never been assessed.
Name in the Commission table: Sorbitan monooleate.
- Re‐evaluation of sorbitan monostearate (E 491), sorbitan tristearate (E 492), sorbitan monolaurate (E 493), sorbitan monooleate (E 494) and sorbitan monopalmitate (E 495) when used as food additives
EFSA scientific opinion. Published: .
These are assessment references, including historical or group assessments. They do not establish the latest scientific conclusion, a human health benefit or risk, or current permission to use the additive in a particular food. Later assessments, corrections and food-use conditions need separate review. The recorded EatMatrix rating above is unchanged.
European Commission re-evaluation table, status as of . EatMatrix checked this bibliography on .
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E494?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E494 (Sorbitan monooleate) is “Use caution”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E494 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Sorbitan monooleate — vegan: depends on the source, vegetarian: depends on the source, halal: depends on the source, kosher: depends on the source, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E494 and why is it used?
Sorbitan monooleate is an ester of sorbitol and oleic acid used primarily as an emulsifier and surfactant in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical formulations. It helps oil and water blend and stay mixed, improving the stability of lotions, creams, and food dressings, and also acts as a dispersing agent. It is approved by EFSA and the FDA within regulated limits; the oleic acid may be sourced from plant oils or animal fat.
Does E494 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Sorbitan monooleate.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.