21 CFR §172.842
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
The food additive sorbitan monostearate, which is a mixture of partial stearic and palmitic acid esters of sorbitol anhydrides, may be safely used in or on food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:
- (a)The food additive is manufactured by reacting stearic acid (usually containing associated fatty acids, chiefly palmitic) with sorbitol to yield essentially a mixture of esters.
- (b)The food additive meets the following specifications:
- (c)It is used or intended for use, alone or in combination with polysorbate 60 as follows:
- (1)As an emulsifier in whipped edible oil topping with or without one or a combination of the following:
- (2)As an emulsifier in cakes and cake mixes, with or without one or a combination of the following:
- (3)As an emulsifier, alone or in combination with polysorbate 60 in nonstandardized confectionery coatings and standardized cacao products specified in §§ 163.123, 163.130, 163.135, 163.140, 163.145, and 163.150 of this chapter, as follows:
- (i)It is used alone in an amount not to exceed 1 percent of the weight of the finished nonstandardized confectionery coating or standardized cacao product.
- (ii)It is used with polysorbate 60 in any combination of up to 1 percent sorbitan monostearate and up to 0.5 percent polysorbate 60 provided that the total combination does not exceed 1 percent of the weight of the finished nonstandardized confectionery coating or standardized cacao product.
- (4)As an emulsifier in cake icings and cake fillings, with or without one or a combination of the following:
- (5)As an emulsifier in solid-state, edible vegetable fat-water emulsions intended for use as substitutes for milk or cream in beverage coffee, with or without one or a combination of the following:
- (6)It is used alone as a rehydration aid in the production of active dry yeast in an amount not to exceed 1 percent by weight of the dry yeast.
- (7)As an emulsifier, alone or in combination with polysorbate 60, in the minimum quantity required to accomplish the intended effect, in formulations of white mineral oil conforming with § 172.878 and/or petroleum wax conforming with § 172.886 for use as protective coatings on raw fruits and vegetables.
- (d)To assure safe use of the additive, in addition to the other information required by the Act: