Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid
Propylene Glycol Esters of Fatty Acids (PGMS, E477) are non-ionic emulsifiers produced by esterifying propylene glycol with food-grade fatty acids, predominantly stearic and palmitic acid. The principal molecule is propylene glycol monostearate.
The product appears as a waxy white to ivory solid with a melting point near 38 to 45 degrees Celsius and an HLB of approximately 3.4. It is the strongest alpha-tending emulsifier in commercial food use and the standard emulsifier of cake-mix and powdered-shortening systems.
We source bulk Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturers are in Guangdong. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
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- Packaging
- 250 kg plastic drum or 1,000 kg IBC tote
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
Grades / Types Available: Food Grade, Feed Grade
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White waxy beads or flakes |
| Monoester Content | ≥ 55% |
| Free Propylene Glycol | ≤ 5.0% |
| Acid Value | ≤ 4.0 mg KOH/g |
| Iodine Value | ≤ 4.0 g I₂/100g |
| Melting Point | 38-45°C |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Purity/Assay | ≥ 99% (Food Grade) |
| Viscosity | 100-200 mPa·s (Food Grade) |
| Moisture/Loss on Drying | ≤ 0.5% (Food Grade) |
| pH | 5.0-7.0 (Food Grade) |
| Lead | ≤ 2 ppm (Food Grade) |
| Arsenic | ≤ 1 ppm (Food Grade) |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 100 cfu/g (Food Grade) |
| Yeast & Mold | ≤ 10 cfu/g (Food Grade) |
Common Markets Grades
PGMS is graded primarily by alpha-monoester content.
Standard food grade contains 55 to 60 percent monoester and is produced by direct esterification of propylene glycol with stearic acid. It takes the form of flakes, beads, or pastilles.
Distilled monoester grade contains 90 percent or higher alpha-monoester content and is produced by molecular distillation of the crude esterification product. It is the standard format for cake mixes, instant whips, and aerosol toppings where alpha-tending performance is critical.
Blended grades combine PGMS with distilled monoglycerides in fixed ratios to give a one-step emulsifier system for commercial bakery use. Custom blends are also produced for specific cake-mix and frozen-dessert formulations.
Plant-source stearic acid (palm, soybean, or sunflower) is the standard supply route; Kosher, Halal, and RSPO-certified palm grades exist.
Applications
- Cake mixes, sponge cakes, and pound cakes as the primary alpha-tending aeration emulsifier
- Whipping cream powders and instant whips for foam volume and stability
- Aerosol whipped toppings for overrun and shape retention
- Coffee whiteners and powdered creamers as a co-emulsifier with sodium caseinate
- Icings, frostings, and bakery glazes for smooth aerated texture
- Margarine and reduced-fat spreads for water-droplet stabilisation
- Frozen desserts and mousses as a co-emulsifier with mono-/diglycerides
- Confectionery fats and compound coatings for crystal control
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetic creams as a non-ionic co-emulsifier
- Plastic processing as an antistatic and slip additive in polyolefin films
China Manufacturers of Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid
Top Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid manufacturers in China.
- GEGU (Guangdong) Technical Co., Ltd.4 ingredients in the directory
GU (Guangzhou) Additive Co., Ltd.10 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acid together with other ingredients such as Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Non-Dairy Creamer and Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
PGMS is approved as a food emulsifier in most regulated markets.
In the European Union it carries E number E477. Permitted uses include fat emulsions for baking, milk fat replacers, and whipping cream products under Regulation 1333/2008 with category-specific maximum levels. The European Food Safety Authority re-evaluated E477 in 2018 and confirmed an acceptable daily intake.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids under 21 CFR 172.856 with category-specific use limits across cake mixes, whipped vegetable oil toppings, liquid and frozen whipped toppings, and shortenings.
JECFA assigned an ADI in 1979 and reaffirmed it in subsequent reviews. Kosher and Halal certifications are widely available when stearic acid sourcing is documented to compliant origin.
Manufacturing Process
PGMS is produced primarily by direct esterification.
Food-grade propylene glycol is reacted with a fatty acid stream (typically 60 to 70 percent stearic acid, balance palmitic acid) at 200 to 240 degrees Celsius under nitrogen in the presence of an acid or alkaline catalyst. The molar ratio of propylene glycol to fatty acid is controlled to favor the monoester (typically 2:1 or higher).
The reaction is tracked by acid value, with water removed continuously, until equilibrium is reached. The crude product is a mixture of approximately 55 to 60 percent monoester, 30 to 35 percent diester, and small amounts of free propylene glycol and free fatty acid. After neutralisation and bleaching this crude is the standard food grade.
To produce distilled monoester the crude is fed to a short-path molecular distillation unit operating below 1 mbar. The lighter monoester fraction is collected at 90-95 percent alpha-monoester and the diester-rich bottoms are recycled or sold separately.
An alternative interesterification route reacts propylene glycol with fully hydrogenated vegetable oil under alkaline catalysis. This route is used at smaller scale and gives a fatty acid profile that mirrors the source oil.
