Sucrose Ricinoleate

What Is It?

Sucrose Fatty AcidA natural organic compound that consists of a carboxyl group (oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) attached to a chain of carbon atoms with their associated hydrogen atoms. The chain of carbon atoms may be connected with single bonds, making a ‘saturated’ fat; or it may contain some double bonds, making an ‘unsaturated’ fat. The number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the chain is what determines the qualities of that particular fatty acid. Animal and vegetable fats are made up of various combinations of fatty acids (in sets of three) connected to a glycerol molecule, making them triglycerides. Esters (Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate; Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexastearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate, Sucrose Laurate; Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Tribehenate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Sucrose Tristearate) consist of sucrose, also known as table sugar, combined with various specific fatty acids, or sucrose combined with mixtures of fatty acids from specific plants (Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polypalmate, Sucrose Polysoyate). Many of the fatty acids, including Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid and Coconut Acid occur in foods. In cosmetics and personal care products, Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters are used in a variety of products such as bath products, cleansing products, makeup products, hand and body preparations, suntan products and shampoos.

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters. Emulsion stabilizerIngredients that help to keep an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components.: Sucrose Polypalmate Skin conditioning agent – emollient: Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polypalmate, Sucrose Polysoyate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Tribehenate, Sucrose Tristearate SurfactantAn ingredient that helps two substances that normally do not mix to become dissolved or dispersed in one another. Also called a surface active agent. – emulsifying agent: Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate, Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexstearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polypalmate, Sucrose Polysoyate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Trilaurate Surfactant – solubilizing agent: Sucrose Trilaurate Surfactant – suspending agent – Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexstearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate

Scientific Facts

Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters are the esters of sucrose with edible fatty acids. They may be prepared from sucrose and the methyl and ethyl esters of edible fatty acids usually in the presence of a solvent. Another procedure is to react edible fats or oils and sucrose to produce a mixture of sucrose esters of fatty acids and mono- and diglycerides, these are sometimes called “sucroglycerides”.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters as direct food additives. Sucrose oligoesters (average degree of esterification from four to seven) are also approved for use as direct food additives. The safety of many fatty acids, including Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid Myristic Acid and Coconut Acid, has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that the fatty acids were safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products. Please search this website for the specific fatty acid for more information about the CIR reviews.

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters:

Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Hexaerucate; Sucrose Hexaoleate/Hexapalmitate/Hexastearate, Sucrose Hexapalmitate, Sucrose Laurate; Sucrose Myristate, Sucrose Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Sucrose Pentaerucate, Sucrose Polybehenate, Sucrose Polylaurate, Sucrose Polylinoleate, Sucrose Polyoleate, Sucrose Polystearate, Sucrose Ricinoleate, Sucrose Stearate, Sucrose Tetraisostearate, Sucrose Tribehenate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Sucrose Tristearate, Sucrose Cocoate, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Sucrose Polypalmate and Sucrose Polysoyate may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union. Ingredients of animal origin must comply with European Union animal by-products regulations.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has reviewed the safety of the Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters. They identified an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of up to 30 mg/kg, and cautioned that these ingredients may have a laxative effect at higher doses. Link to the JECFA review document:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v35je06.htm

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/