Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20
Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span 80 / Span 20 is a custom-blended non-ionic emulsifier combining sorbitan monooleate (Span 80, E494) with sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20, E493) in a defined ratio.
The blend is produced for formulators who need an intermediate HLB or a specific fatty-acid mix that neither single Span product provides on its own. Typical blend HLB values range from 5 to 8 depending on the ratio. The product is a yellow viscous liquid that pairs naturally with polysorbates in oil-in-water and water-in-oil systems.
We source bulk Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20 from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Guangdong. For this ingredient the minimum order is 500 kg and a 20-foot container takes 25 MT, and 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.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Minimum order
- 500 kg
- Qty in 20' FCL
- 25 MT
- Packaging
- 190 kg steel drum or 25 kg jerrican
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Amber to yellow viscous oily liquid |
| Colour (Gardner) | ≤ 10 |
| Acid Value | ≤ 8.0 mg KOH/g |
| Saponification Value | 145-170 mg KOH/g (Span 80: 145-160; Span 20: 158-170) |
| Hydroxyl Value | 193-358 mg KOH/g (Span 80: 193-210; Span 20: 330-358) |
| Iodine Value | Span 80: 62-76 g I₂/100 g; Span 20: ≤ 5 g I₂/100 g |
| HLB Value | 5.0-8.0 according to blend ratio |
| Water (Karl Fischer) | ≤ 1.5% |
| Residue on Ignition | ≤ 0.5% |
| Fatty Acid Composition | Span 80 portion: oleic acid ≥ 70%; Span 20 portion: lauric acid 40-55% |
| Total Polyols (sorbitol, sorbitan, isosorbide) | 30-45% |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Lead (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Arsenic (as As) | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
Common Markets Grades
Blends are typically specified by mass ratio.
A 1:1 Span 80 to Span 20 blend gives an HLB around 7.0 and combines the oleate chain mobility of Span 80 with the shorter, more polar laurate of Span 20.
A 2:1 Span 80 to Span 20 blend gives an HLB around 5.7 and is used in low-aqueous-phase water-in-oil systems including explosives emulsions and oil-field demulsifiers.
A 1:2 Span 80 to Span 20 blend gives an HLB around 7.7 and approaches the threshold for oil-in-water behaviour, useful as a co-emulsifier with polysorbate 80 in cosmetic creams.
Food grade meets the JECFA specifications for E493 and E494 individually with controlled hydroxyl and saponification values. Plant-source oleic and lauric acid (sunflower or palm-kernel) is the standard supply route; Kosher and Halal certifications are widely available.
Applications
- Cosmetic water-in-oil creams and lotions where a specific HLB is required
- Pharmaceutical topical preparations as a lipid-phase co-emulsifier
- Ice cream and frozen desserts as a co-emulsifier paired with polysorbate 80
- Bakery shortenings and laminated doughs for crystal modification
- Industrial agrochemical emulsifiable concentrates and adjuvant systems
- Vaccine adjuvant trials exploring water-in-oil and water-in-oil-in-water systems
- Oil-field demulsifier and corrosion inhibitor blends
- Explosives emulsion matrices in mining and quarrying
- Metalworking and rolling fluids as the lipid-phase emulsifier
- Colour cosmetic foundations and concealers for pigment dispersion
China Manufacturers of Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20
Top Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20 manufacturers in China.
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 Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20
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 Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20 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 Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester Span-80 Span-20 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
The blend inherits the regulatory status of its two component Spans.
In the European Union sorbitan monolaurate (E493) and sorbitan monooleate (E494) are both approved as food additives under Regulation 1333/2008. The European Food Safety Authority re-evaluated the sorbitan ester group in 2017 and confirmed a group acceptable daily intake expressed as sorbitan.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits sorbitan monooleate as a food additive in shortening, beverage bases, and dietetic foods under 21 CFR 172.840 and similar sections. Sorbitan monolaurate is approved under indirect-contact and selected direct-contact provisions.
JECFA assigned the sorbitan esters group an ADI expressed as sorbitan. Pharmacopoeial monographs for both component Spans appear in USP-NF and Ph. Eur.
Kosher and Halal certifications follow the documented fatty acid origin and are widely available for plant-sourced material.
Manufacturing Process
The blend is produced by combining pre-made Span 80 and Span 20.
Span 80 (sorbitan monooleate) is manufactured by first dehydrating food-grade sorbitol to sorbitan by heating under vacuum at 150 to 200 degrees Celsius with an acid catalyst. The sorbitan is then esterified with oleic acid at 200 to 230 degrees Celsius under nitrogen with an alkaline catalyst.
Span 20 (sorbitan monolaurate) is produced by the same route using lauric acid in place of oleic.
The two finished Spans are blended at the target ratio in a heated mixing vessel under nitrogen, sampled for HLB and acid value, and packaged hot. The blending step is straightforward because both components are mutually miscible liquids or low-melting waxes.
Some manufacturers offer a co-esterification route where sorbitan is reacted with a pre-mixed feed of oleic and lauric acid at the target ratio. This route gives a more statistical distribution of monoesters but adds operational complexity and is typically reserved for very large custom orders.
