Sorbitan Esters

What is the difference between non-ionic and ionic surfactants?

Compare to ionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants are less sensitive to acidity or alkalinity.

What is a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsifier?

In water-in-oil emulsion, the hydrophilic parts of emulsifiers surround the water droplets and expose their lipophilic portions to the oil phase. This allows water droplets to suspend in oil environment.

What is sorbitan ester made of?

Sorbitan ester is composed of sorbitol-derived hexitol anhydrides aka sorbitans and various fatty acids (lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid, etc.). Polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester is attached to sorbitans through esterification reactions.

Is sorbitol the same as sorbitan?

Sorbitol is a sugar (crystalline hexahydric ) that can be sourced from plants, such as corns and potatoes. When sorbitol undergoes a dehydration process, where one water molecule is removed, it creates an anhydride called sorbitan.

What is HLB value?

HLB value is the abbreviation for hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, it is the ratio between the hydrophilic portions and lipophilic portion of a surfactant. It is represented by a number between 1 and 20. An HLB value less than 6 indicates that the surfactant favors W/O emulsion; an HLB value greater than 8 favors O/W emulsion. HLB values in between 7 and 9 indicate that the surfactants are good wetting agents.

Is sorbitan ester safe?

Sorbitan esters are widely used in cosmetics, food, medicines. They are generally considered as non-toxic and non-irritant. They are considered to be safe cosmetic ingredients.2 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sorbitan esters composed of lauric acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid are safe to consume as food additives.1 The group ADI value of these sorbitan esters is 0-25mg/kg body weight/ day.1 Acute and long-term studies have shown that sorbitan esters are non-toxic via ingestion.2 During digestion, sorbitan esters are hydrolyzed into sorbitan and fatty acid; the fatty acid moiety is absorbed and metabolized, whereas the sorbitan moiety is excreted through urine, feces or respiration.

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