# Sorbitan monostearate — Food additive regulatory approval status — US FDA vs EU

For Sorbitan monostearate, jurisdiction is US FDA (21 CFR 172–178); status is permitted; citation is 21 CFR 172.842; use conditions is 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, recorded from its source on 2026-08-15.

- **Additive:** Sorbitan monostearate _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Jurisdiction:** US FDA (21 CFR 172–178) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Status:** permitted _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Citation:** 21 CFR 172.842 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Use conditions:** 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. _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> 24, 2023] § 172.842 Sorbitan monostearate. 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:

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172

Last verified: 2026-08-15. Review by: 2027-08-15.
Part of [Food additive regulatory approval status — US FDA vs EU](https://referencesource.org/food-additive-approval-status-us-vs-eu/).