Polyoxyethylene (4) stearate

Synonym(s): Polyoxyethylene (40) monostearate, Polyoxyl (40) stearate 
CAS Number: 9004-99-3 
E Number: 431 
INS Number: 431

International Organisations 

Codex Alimentarius 

-Classification, Food Category, Functional Class and Recommended Usage is not available at this time. 

International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) 

-Classification, Food Category, Functional Class and Recommended Usage is not available at this time. 

FIVS Classification 

Category 4 – Not naturally occurring in grapes and treatment residual in wine Recommended Usage Please refer to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives’ (JECFA) “acceptable daily intake” (ADI) for recommended usage.

Usage in Winemaking: 

Polyoxyethylene (40) Stearate is used to reduce foaming during the fermentation process. Foaming can occur pending high fermentation temperatures, fill the height of the tank and the winemaker’s choice of yeast (certain strains are more likely to create foam). It is used only as needed with fermentation where excessive foaming exists at the top of the fermentation vessel.

See FIVS technical papers for more information - click here.