Propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (propylene glycol esters) are the emulsifiers the food industry lists as E477. In our table they are no risk identified: they take no points off a product's score.
- The key finding, from EFSA: 'The Panel confirmed the previously established ADI for propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E 477) of 25 mg/kg bw per day expressed as propane 1,2 diol', corresponding to 80 mg/kg bw/day for E 477. 'The exposure estimates from the refined non-brand loyal scenario did not exceed the ADI of E 477 in any of the population groups.' The Panel considered that E 477 'did not raise a concern for genotoxicity', and that there would be no safety concern at the reported use levels (10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5497 (EFSA Journal 2018;16(12):5497, PMC7009423, Re-evaluation of propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E 477) as a food additive))
- No child flag. The class, and the points it costs, are the same for a child of any age.
- Where you meet it. They turn up in 2 of the 10,000 packaged foods scanned most on Open Food Facts. Nine in ten of those foods are sold in Europe (counted 26 Sep 2026).
- 3 citations from EFSA, the FDA and EU law, each one below.
What propylene glycol esters do to a score
A packaged food's additive subscore starts at 100 and loses points for each additive on the label; that subscore is a third of the final score. propylene glycol esters take no points off a product's score. Scan the pack in Sito and the score you get is the one for your own child's age, with this additive named in the reasons. How we score has the whole method.
See what is in your own cupboard
Scan a packaged food and Sito names the additives in it, then scores the product out of 100 for your child's age.
What the sources found
Every classification in our table comes from the citations below, and nothing else. Each finding is our one-line summary of what the source concluded, with the source and reference beside it.
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EFSA
10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5497 (EFSA Journal 2018;16(12):5497, PMC7009423 — Re-evaluation of propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E 477) as a food additive)
'The Panel confirmed the previously established ADI for propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E 477) of 25 mg/kg bw per day expressed as propane 1,2 diol', corresponding to 80 mg/kg bw/day for E 477. 'The exposure estimates from the refined non-brand loyal scenario did not exceed the ADI of E 477 in any of the population groups.' The Panel considered that E 477 'did not raise a concern for genotoxicity', and that there would be no safety concern at the reported use levels. -
FDA
21 CFR 172.856 (Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids) — Part 172 "Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption"; verified against the current eCFR structure
The corresponding US listing; permitted for direct addition to food in the US. -
EU law
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 Annex II, consolidated text 02008R1333 — EN — 16.12.2024 — 059.001 (EUR-Lex ELI: reg/2008/1333)
E 477 authorised in the EU with numerical maximum levels by food category (e.g. 5 000 mg/kg in some categories, 1 000 mg/kg for beverage whiteners) rather than quantum satis.
Why this class
Clean current EFSA and FDA status. These rows exist so that an unfamiliar additive is never treated as a bad one: a missing row costs a product nothing, and a clean row says so with citations.
Our confidence in this row's classification is high. Medium or low does not mean the evidence is weak; it means something about the row is still being pinned down, usually a regulatory status confirmed from one source rather than two.
Questions parents ask
Are propylene glycol esters (E477) safe for kids?
No risk identified. No regulator finding we score, so a product keeps its full additive subscore in Sito. The current status is clean: 'The Panel confirmed the previously established ADI for propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E 477) of 25 mg/kg bw per day expressed as propane 1,2 diol', corresponding to 80 mg/kg bw/day for E 477. 'The exposure estimates from the refined non-brand loyal scenario did not exceed the ADI of E 477 in any of the population groups.' The Panel considered that E 477 'did not raise a concern for genotoxicity', and that there would be no safety concern at the reported use levels (EFSA, 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5497 (EFSA Journal 2018;16(12):5497, PMC7009423, Re-evaluation of propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E 477) as a food additive)).
What is E477?
E477 is the E number for Propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids, which our table lists as an emulsifier. It is also called propylene glycol esters. Open Food Facts tags it en:e477.
Next to it on the label
The E numbers either side of E477 in our table, then the closest emulsifiers by number.
- Esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472), no risk identified
- Sucrose esters of fatty acids (E473), high risk, flagged for young children
- Sucroglycerides (E474), high risk, flagged for young children
- Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (E475), no risk identified
- PGPR (E476), no risk identified
- Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481), high risk, flagged for young children