Why Cool Whip® really isn't cool...

Polysorbate 80, also known as polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate or Tween® 80, & it’s lesser studied sister Polysorbate 60 are used as an emulsifier (a binding agent to bind ingredients together & keep them from separating like oil & water) & a surfactant (reduces the surface tension of a liquid making it easier to spread) used in foods, cosmetics, vitamins, medicines & vaccines.  They are most commonly used in ice cream & frozen desserts to help them resist melting & in shortening, condiments like barbecue sauce, chewing gum, dietary foods & whipped dessert toppings.  They are also used as a solubilizer, which means it aids in dissolving ingredients that would not normally dissolve or that would not fully dissolve & can be found in pickled food, gelatin desserts, liquid soaps & bath gels.  It is also used in some cottage cheese & yeast based products as a defoamer.

The most common side effects from Polysorbate 80 in foods are allergic reactions, some leading to anaphylactic shock, as well as flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, fainting & persistent tiredness.  Polysorbate 80 is also found in vaccines like the flu vaccine & HPV (Gardasil®) vaccine & has been linked to severe allergic reactions after the vaccine has been administered.  The studies have linked these allergic reactions to Polysorbate 80.

The controversy over the potential health risks of the injection of Polysorbate 80 into the body revolves around a 1993 study that showed when the chemical was injected into baby female rats it resulted in malformed reproductive organs.  In the late 1990’s the University of Georgia Research Foundation submitted a patent application for a “fertility impairing vaccine” for animals with the “preferred” ingredient being Polysorbate 80.  Polysorbate 60, which has been studied less, has been proven to cause damage to reproductive organs.

There was a class action lawsuit filed in 2003 regarding the drug E-Ferol®. E-Ferol® was used between 1983 & 1984 on premature infants as form of vitamin E to help combat RLF (a disease that affects to retina of the eye & can cause vision impairment & blindness in premature infants). The FDA recalled E-Ferol® in 1984 after it was found to cause liver and/or kidney failure, respiratory distress & cardiopulmonary deterioration in the infants. Expert’s labeled this “E-Ferol Syndrome”.  Following the recall, Dr. Robert Brown from Fort Worth Children’s Hospital undertook a study on E-Ferol® & determined that Polysorbate 80 caused the “E-Ferol Syndrome”. 

WOW! That’s some pretty profound “side-effects” to Polysorbate 80.  I only listed a few of the research cases that I found when researching these additives.  These two are disturbing enough that I can’t imagine anyone would need more information on this additive before removing it completely from their food choices.

Listed below are the most common food type items that Polysorbate 80 or 60 is added to. When you shop, if you want to avoid this ingredient, make sure you read the label & go for the product marked “natural” whenever possible.

·      Ice cream, frozen custards, fruit sherbert

·      Whipped dessert toppings

·      Shortenings

·      Milk/Cream based salad dressings

·      Coffee creamers

·      Cake mix & cake icings

·      Sugar & artificially sweetened gelatin & pudding desserts

·      Condiments (chocolate flavored syrups, barbecue sauce)

·      Canned & jarred pickles, sauerkraut & other pickled items

·      Yeast-leavened bakery products

·      Mixed into the protective wax coating on some fruits & vegetables

I hope that this gives you a starting point on what products you need to be vigilant about when reading the labels.  As always, the choice is ultimately yours, but I hope that this information has been informative for you.

Until the next post...