E311 – Octyl gallate

Description

White to creamy-white powder with a faint characteristic odor; ester formed from gallic acid and octanol; antioxidant

Risks

Notes

Octyl gallate is another member of the gallate family of antioxidants, created by chemically combining gallic acid (the same plant-derived compound found in tea and oak bark) with octanol, a longer-chain alcohol. This process forms an ester compound that appears as a white to creamy-white powder, and the longer alcohol chain makes it more effective in certain types of food products. Like its cousin propyl gallate, octyl gallate serves as an antioxidant to prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid and spoiling. It's particularly useful in foods with higher fat content and finds its way into similar products - cooking oils, processed snacks, baked goods, and processed meats. The longer molecular structure makes it especially effective in protecting against oxidation in fatty foods. This is a synthetic antioxidant, manufactured rather than extracted directly from natural sources, though it originates from natural gallic acid. It's suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets as it contains no animal-derived ingredients. Octyl gallate is approved for food use in many countries and is generally recognized as safe when used within regulatory limits, though it's less commonly used than some other antioxidants.