Fatty acids is a chemical compound, a patchwork of the following six linear saturated fatty acids caprylic (C8), capric (C10), lauric (C12), myristic (C14), palmitic (C16), stearic (C18) and a cis-monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid (C18:1). Each of these acids may be present alone or in combination with one or more of the other fatty acids. 

They are generally produced by the hydrolysis of common animal and vegetable fats and oils (coconut, palm, olive and other vegetable oils) and the subsequent fractionation of the individual fatty acids. 

It appears as a colourless liquid or white powder.

A cosa serve e dove si usa

Alimentazione

Ingredient on the European food additives list E570 with function depending on the fatty acid inserted: bulking agent, acidity regulator, etc.

Safety

The safety assessment carried out by the EFSA Panel was limited to use and use levels received from industry in eight out of 67 food categories where fatty acids (E570) are authorised; - fatty acids used as a food additive (E570) were absorbed in the same way as free fatty acids in the normal diet - the fatty acids used as a food additive (E570) were metabolised in the same way as fatty acids derived from lipid molecules in the normal diet; - the toxicity database is limited, however, no adverse effects were observed in subchronic toxicity studies up to 10% of the diet (equivalent to 9. 000 mg lauric acid/kg body weight per day); - there is no genotoxicity issue for these fatty acids; - the contribution of fatty acids (E570) represents on average only 1% of the total exposure to saturated fatty acids from all food sources (food additives and normal diet). The Panel concluded that the food additive fatty acids (E570) does not present a safety concern for the indicated uses and use levels (1).

CAS     90990-08-2

EC number    292-769-6 

DTXSID301019811

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS); Mortensen A, Aguilar F, Crebelli R, Di Domenico A, Dusemund B, Frutos MJ, Galtier P, Gott D, Gundert-Remy U, Leblanc JC, Lindtner O, Moldeus P, Mosesso P, Parent-Massin D, Oskarsson A, Stankovic I, Waalkens-Berendsen I, Woutersen RA, Wright M, Younes M, Boon P, Chrysafidis D, Gürtler R, Tobback P, Gergelova P, Rincon AM, Lambré C. Re-evaluation of fatty acids (E 570) as a food additive. EFSA J. 2017 May 5;15(5):e04785. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4785.