Ingredient · Updated

Ester Gum

Neutral in 2 Flagged in 2

Found in 4 products

What is Ester Gum?

Ester Gum is a food additive made by esterifying wood rosin with glycerol. It is commonly used in the food and beverage industry for its emulsifying properties.

The primary function of Ester Gum is to stabilize and emulsify products, particularly in beverages where it helps keep oils mixed uniformly. While not widely studied for health effects, it is generally recognized as safe by food safety authorities.

When you see Ester Gum on a label, it indicates the product likely includes components that require stabilization to ensure a consistent texture or appearance.

Commonly found in: carbonated beverages, sports drinks, soft drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, non-alcoholic beverages

FDA

Ester Gum is approved by the FDA as a food additive and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

Research

There is limited research on the specific health effects of Ester Gum, but it is broadly considered safe in the amounts used in foods.

Vegan

Ester Gum is derived from wood rosin, making it suitable for vegan diets.

Sources: Ester Gum (E445) Overview

Scout's take

Ester gum is used as a stabilizer and thickening agent in beverages. It helps maintain the consistency and appearance of the drink. It is generally recognized as safe with no significant health concerns.

The case for

Helps maintain the consistency and appearance of beverages.

from the analysis of Body Armor zero BODYARMOR SuperDrink Zero Sugar Lemon Lime

Maintains consistency and appearance of the beverage.

from the analysis of BODYARMOR LYTE Blueberry Pomegranate Sports Drink

More from Scout's analyses

Synthetic emulsifier/stabilizer derived from wood rosin. Unnecessary additive.

from the analysis of BODYARMOR LYTE Peach Mango

All 4 products with Ester Gum

Where Ester Gum shows up

Higher-scoring picks without Ester Gum

Products from the same categories whose analyzed ingredient list does not include Ester Gum, scoring 80 or above.

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