Surface-active agents

Changes surface properties, such as helping a liquid wet or spread.

49 additives that at least one regulator lists as surface-active agents: 49 by United States. Each mark shows the term that regulator used; follow it for the citation.

A function is not a permission. Being listed here says what a regulator treats the additive as, not that it is permitted in any particular food or place — its own page shows that. Where a regulator leaves a cell empty, it has not assigned this function in the sources this site reads; it may assign another, or none.

The US column is the least complete. Only some US listings name their technical effect by citing 21 CFR 170.3(o); many, especially in part 172, describe their use in their own words, and this site does not read a function into that prose. An empty US cell says little.

AdditiveUS
Ammonium alginate E403Surface-active agent
Calcium alginate E404Surface-active agent
Calcium chloride E509Surface-active agents
Calcium lignosulfonateSurface-active agent
Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate E482Surface-active agent
Citric acid E330Surface-active agent
Defoaming agentsSurface-active agent
Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate INS 480Surface-active agent
Fatty acids E570Surface-active agent
Gum arabic (Acacia gum) E414Surface-active agent
Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propylene glycolSurface-active agent
Lactylic esters of fatty acidsSurface-active agent
Lecithin E322Surface-active agent
Licorice and licorice derivativesSurface-active agents
MaltodextrinSurface-active agent
Methyl glucoside-coconut oil esterSurface-active agent
Mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids E471Surface-active agents; Surface-active agent
Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglyceridesSurface-active agents
Oleic acid derived from tall oil fatty acidsSurface-active agent
Ox bile extractSurface-active agents
OxystearinSurface-active agent
PeptonesSurface-active agents
PetrolatumSurface-active agent
Petroleum wax E905Surface-active agent
Polydimethylsiloxane E900Surface-active agent
Polyethylene glycol E1521Surface-active agent
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids E475Surface-active agent
Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate E432Surface-active agent
Polysorbate 60 E435Surface-active agent
Polysorbate 80 E433Surface-active agent
Polyvinylpyrrolidone E1201Surface-active agent
Potassium acid tartrate E336Surface-active agents
Potassium alginate E402Surface-active agent
Potassium persulfateSurface-active agent
Propylene glycol E1520Surface-active agents
Propylene glycol alginate E405Surface-active agent
Silica aerogelSurface-active agent
Sodium alginate E401Surface-active agents; Surface-active agent
Sodium benzoate E211Surface-active agent
Sodium citrate INS 331(iii)Surface-active agent
Sodium lauryl sulfateSurface-active agent
Sodium metaphosphate, insolubleSurface-active agent
Sodium stearoyl lactylate E481Surface-active agent
Sorbitan monostearate E491Surface-active agent
Stearic acidSurface-active agent
Stearyl citrate INS 484Surface-active agents; Surface-active agent
Synthetic isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbonsSurface-active agent
Triethyl citrate E1505Surface-active agents
White mineral oilSurface-active agent