WHY YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR LABELS FOR PROPYL GALLATE?

Propyl gallate is a synthetic additive to food and cosmetics. It is added to oil-containing products to serve as an anti-oxidant. It is a white crystalline substance, and its molecular formula is C₁₀H₁₂O_5. Propyl gallate protects oily substances against oxidation from hydrogen peroxide & oxygen-free radicals. Oxidation can lead to changes in color, changes in viscosity and loss of quality in foods, reducing their nutrient effectiveness.

Although the names might appear to be similar, propyl gallate should not be mistaken for propylene glycol.

WHY IS IT BAD?

Propyl Gallate is prone to cause allergic reactions especially asthma attack in some people. It is suspected to contribute to stomach and skin irritation, liver damage, and increases your chances of having cancer. Though the FDA rules it as safe there is compelling evidence that propyl gallate can cause tumors in mice.

WHICH PRODUCTS IS IT FOUND IN?

Propyl gallate is found in foods high in fat such as margarine or lard. Its presence extends the shelf life of those foods. It can also be used in some cosmetic products as well as medication. Some common foods you can find this in is as follows:

• Vegetable oil
• Butter
• Margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Meat products
• Potato sticks
• Soup bases
• Cereals
• Chewing gum

HOW TO RECOGNIZE PROPYL GALLATE IN LABELS

Propyl gallate is sometimes listed obviously, but other times it will be listed as one of the following:

• Any word with Trihydroxybenzene
• AI3-17136
• Benzoic acid
• CCRIS 541
• EINECS 204-498-2
• FEMA No. 2947
• Gallic acid, propyl ester
• HSDB 591
• N-Propyl gallate
• NCI-C505888
• NIPA 49
• NSC 2626
• Nipagallin P
• Progallin P
• Propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate
• Propylester kyseliny gallove
• Tenox PG
• Any words with Propylester or propyl ester

CONCLUSION

Propyl gallate does what it does well for manufacturers. However, for consumers, it doesn’t do much. Using Propyl gallate is to facilitate commercialism because your foods need to last for many months. If you stick to eating locally made, less packaged foods that will also help to reduce your exposure to this artificial additive.

Many ingredients that are currently used today have not been proven to cause cancer in humans. This is partly because it is unethical to study certain things in humans. The sponsor of any lab studies can be tied to the food industry as well, so before any studies should be considered, we should rule out any bias.