E472e — DATEM
E472e (DATEM), a emulsifier, is rated "watch": fine in moderation. A dough-strengthening emulsifier in commercial bread, cakes, and pastries. Considered safe by EFSA; part of the broader emulsifier-and-microbiome watch list.
What is DATEM?
Mono- and diglycerides modified with diacetyl tartaric acid. The standard dough conditioner in supermarket sandwich bread, hamburger buns, pizza crusts, and many packaged baked goods.
What does it do to the body?
Your body breaks it into common fatty acids, glycerol, acetic acid, and tartaric acid. Considered safe at food levels. Animal-emulsifier research raises broader microbiome questions, but DATEM has not been directly implicated.
What regulators say
EFSA's 2017 evaluation found no safety concern. The FDA approves it as GRAS.
Risk rating: Watch
Mixed evidence or a specific concern (gut, allergy, or contested safety data). Not alarming, but worth keeping an eye on rather than eating without limit.