What are the benefits of DATEM? An overview of this food emulsifier

October 30, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), DATEM is a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) emulsifier used in a variety of foods, including baked goods, dairy products, and dressings. Understanding what are the benefits of DATEM can shed light on its widespread use in the food industry for improving product quality and consistency.

Quick Summary

DATEM is a versatile food emulsifier and dough conditioner that enhances gluten networks, increases dough volume, improves crumb texture, and extends the shelf life of baked goods and other processed foods.

Key Points

Dough Strengthening: DATEM enhances the gluten network, creating stronger, more stable dough for improved machinability and tolerance in commercial baking.
Improved Volume and Texture: By stabilizing gas retention during proofing, DATEM helps baked goods achieve a higher volume and a finer, more uniform crumb structure.
Extended Shelf Life: The emulsifier helps retain moisture in products, which effectively delays the staling process and prolongs freshness.
Broad Application: In addition to baked goods, DATEM is used to stabilize emulsions in a variety of products, including ice cream, sauces, and dairy-free alternatives.
Regulatory Approval: DATEM is considered safe for human consumption by major regulatory agencies, including the FDA, which grants it Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status.
Vegan-Friendly: While precursors were historically animal-based, modern DATEM is typically derived from vegetable oils and is considered vegan.

What is DATEM?

DATEM, which stands for diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, is a food emulsifier created by esterifying monoglycerides with diacetyl tartaric acid. It is primarily known as a dough conditioner in commercial baking, where it enhances dough strength and stability. DATEM is typically a powder or granules, made from edible fats and oils, often vegetable-based like palm or soybean oil, making it suitable for vegan products. Its effectiveness in blending immiscible ingredients like oil and water is key to its various food manufacturing applications.

The Primary Benefits of DATEM in Baking

DATEM's benefits are most apparent in baked goods, particularly in yeast-leavened items such as bread and buns. Its interaction with the gluten network improves several aspects of the dough and the final product.

Improved Dough Stability and Machinability

DATEM strengthens the gluten network, leading to a more stable dough structure. This enhances handling and machinability during large-scale industrial production. The strengthened dough is more tolerant to processing stress and over-proofing, contributing to consistent quality.

Enhanced Volume and Crumb Texture

By stabilizing the gas bubbles produced by yeast, DATEM improves gas retention, resulting in higher baked volume and a lighter, airier texture. It also promotes a finer, more uniform crumb structure, reducing crumbling and improving mouthfeel.

Extended Shelf Life

DATEM can interact with starch to slow down the staling process in baked goods. It helps retain moisture, keeping products fresh longer and extending shelf life without quality loss. This is valuable for commercial bakeries aiming to minimize waste and ensure consistent product quality.

Benefits in Other Food Products

DATEM's emulsifying properties are also beneficial in a variety of other food products.

Dairy products: It helps stabilize emulsions in ice cream for a smoother texture and prevents large ice crystal formation. It also improves melting properties in processed cheese.
Sauces and dressings: DATEM is used to emulsify and stabilize products like mayonnaise and salad dressings, ensuring ingredient suspension and uniformity.
Whipped toppings: It enhances whipping performance and stabilizes emulsions in whipped creams.
Confectionery and snacks: DATEM can improve texture and stability in items like fat-reduced biscuits.

How DATEM Compares to Other Emulsifiers

When compared to other common food emulsifiers, DATEM offers distinct advantages, particularly for dough strengthening.


Feature	DATEM	Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (SSL)	Enzymes	Lecithin
Primary Function	Strong dough strengthener.	Dough enhancer and softener.	Improve specific dough properties (e.g., handling).	Oil-in-water emulsifier.
Application Focus	Yeast-leavened bread, rolls, cakes.	Broad range of baked goods, including buns.	Various bread types, used in small amounts.	Margarines, chocolates, baked goods.
Interaction	Interacts strongly with gluten proteins to form a dense network.	Interacts with gluten proteins and promotes aggregation.	Break down gluten or starch molecules to modify dough.	Less effective for dough strengthening, primarily a fat-emulsifier.
Texture Effect	Creates uniform, fine crumb; improves volume.	Improves volume and softens crumb texture.	Depends on enzyme type; can improve crumb softness.	Helps with consistency; not a major dough strengthener.
Cost-Effectiveness	Considered a cost-effective solution for dough improvement.	Can be pricier than DATEM.	Generally added in small, specific amounts.	Variable; depends on source (e.g., soy, sunflower).

Safety and Regulatory Status

DATEM is approved as a food additive by major regulatory bodies globally. The FDA has granted it GRAS status, and the EFSA authorizes its use as E472e. The safety of DATEM has also been reviewed by JECFA. While some online discussions mention high-dosage animal studies, regulatory agencies have evaluated this data and consider DATEM safe at typical dietary levels. Concerns about effects like adrenal overgrowth were based on these high-dose animal studies, not typical human consumption. It's recommended to consume food additives as part of a balanced diet. For official information on GRAS status, the FDA website is a reliable source.

Conclusion

DATEM is a highly functional food emulsifier that offers significant benefits to the food industry, particularly in baking. Its ability to strengthen dough, enhance volume and texture, and extend shelf life makes it valuable for producing consistent, high-quality products. While mainly used in bread, it is also versatile for use in dairy, sauces, and other processed foods. Despite some online speculation from high-dosage animal studies, regulatory bodies worldwide have confirmed its safety for human consumption at standard usage levels, allowing consumers to benefit from its use in various food items.

Frequently Asked Questions

DATEM is a synthetic emulsifier made through the esterification of monoglycerides with diacetyl tartaric acid. The monoglycerides are derived from edible fats and oils, which can be vegetable-based, such as palm or soybean oil.

Yes, DATEM is considered safe to eat at typical dietary levels. Major regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), have approved it as a safe food additive.

In dough, DATEM works by strengthening the gluten network. Its ability to interact with gluten proteins and stabilize the gas bubbles produced by yeast leads to improved dough stability, higher volume, and a finer crumb texture in the final product.

Yes, DATEM can be vegan. While historically it could be derived from animal fats, modern DATEM is typically produced using plant-based fats and oils, making it suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.

DATEM is most commonly found in baked goods like bread, rolls, and buns. It is also used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in dairy products such as ice cream, processed cheese, sauces, dressings, and some non-dairy alternatives.

Some online discussions cite high-dosage animal studies that reported potential side effects like adrenal overgrowth and heart fibrosis. However, these effects were observed at levels far exceeding typical human intake, and regulatory bodies have deemed DATEM safe for use in food.

DATEM is known as a strong dough strengthener, creating a dense gluten network for higher volume. Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (SSL), while also a dough enhancer, is more commonly associated with improving dough's manageability and softening the final crumb.