polysorbate

[ pol-ee-sawr-beyt, -bit ]

noun

1. any of a class of emulsifying and dispersing agents used in various foods and pharmaceutical preparations.

polysorbate

/ pŏl′ē-sôr′bāt′ /

1. Any of a class of emulsifiers used in food preparation and in some pharmaceuticals. Polysorbates are fatty acid esters with short polyethylene chains branching out from a central ring.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polysorbate¹

First recorded in 1950–55; poly- + sorbate

Example Sentences

Oil, fat, sugar, starch and sodium, as well as emulsifiers such as carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, carboxymethylcellulose, polysorbate and soy lecithin continue to strip food of healthy nutrients while introducing other ingredients that could also be detrimental to human health.

From Science Daily

"When the mucous layer is not properly maintained, the epithelial cell layer may become vulnerable to injury, as has been shown in feeding studies using carrageenan in humans and other studies in mice models, using polysorbate-80 and cellulose gum, triggering immunologic responses in the host."

From Science Daily

The family sold the business in 1978 to a pharmaceutical company — Ask your doctor about Polysorbate 60 — after which it was sold and sold and sold again, no expiration date in sight.

From New York Times

The ingredients, for example, of the Entenmann’s standard, the All Butter Loaf Cake, include sodium propionate, sorbitan monostearate, polysorbate 60 and other components that sound like pharmaceuticals for the odd conditions apparently afflicting viewers of daytime television.

From New York Times

In its guidance about allergies and the vaccines, the agency cautions against taking certain shots if you have had a previous allergic reaction to ingredients such as polyethylene glycol, also known as PEG, or polysorbate.

From Washington Post