Polysorbate 80 vs Sodium Aluminum Phosphate: which is worse?

What is Polysorbate 80?

Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) is a synthetic nonionic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid (from vegetable oils) through ethoxylation. It is widely used in food to keep water-based and oil-based ingredients uniformly mixed. Chemical formula: polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate.

What is Sodium Aluminum Phosphate?

Sodium aluminum phosphate (SALP) is a leavening acid and food additive used in baked goods, particularly self-rising flour and baking powder. It provides a slow, sustained leavening action during baking. SALP is also used as an emulsifying salt in processed cheese products.

Documented risks

Polysorbate 80: Emerging research has raised concerns about polysorbate 80's effects on the gut. A landmark 2015 study in Nature (Chassaing et al.) found that dietary polysorbate 80 and polysorbate 60 at concentrations approaching food use levels promoted colitis and metabolic syndrome in genetically susceptible mice by disrupting the intestinal mucus layer and altering gut microbiome composition. The emulsifiers thinned the protective mucus layer, allowing bacteria to come into closer contact with gut epithelial cells and triggering inflammation. This study was a seminal contribution to gut health research, though it was conducted in mice and requires confirmation in humans. A 2020 follow-up study found that dietary emulsifiers including polysorbate 80 promoted gut inflammation and altered gut microbiome in human participants with Crohn's disease. People with inflammatory bowel disease may be most vulnerable to polysorbate 80's potential gut effects.

Sodium Aluminum Phosphate: The primary health concern with SALP is aluminum exposure. Dietary aluminum intake has been studied in relation to neurotoxicity, and there is ongoing scientific debate about whether chronic dietary aluminum exposure contributes to Alzheimer's disease risk. EFSA's 2008 review of dietary aluminum exposure concluded that the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) was being exceeded by some European populations based on total dietary aluminum sources, raising concern. A 2011 EFSA risk assessment noted that certain high-aluminum sources (including baked goods from SALP-containing leavening agents) contributed meaningfully to total dietary aluminum. The WHO has set a PTWI (provisional tolerable weekly intake) of 2 mg/kg body weight/week for total aluminum. However, the causal link between dietary aluminum from food-grade SALP and Alzheimer's disease has not been definitively established in human studies.