Some routes to it require the animal to die and some do not, and the label rarely says which was used.
The two diets, side by side
A vegetarian diet excludes animals that were killed. A vegan diet excludes animal products entirely, whether the animal survived or not. DATEM can fall either side of that line depending on how it was made.
DATEM depends on the supplier. E472e is built from mono- and diglycerides reacted with tartaric and acetic acid, and those glycerides start out as either vegetable oil or animal fat. Labels never say which, so email the bakery brand; most large European suppliers now use vegetable oil for cost and supply reasons.
What it is
- Comes from
- Produced from mono- and diglycerides (which can be plant or animal-derived) reacted with tartaric acid and acetic acid. The vegan status depends entirely on the source of the mono- and diglycerides used — which is almost never declared on the label.
- Which animal
- cattle or pig, via animal-fat mono- and diglycerides
- Requires slaughter
- Yes
- Where you meet it
- Commercial bread, rolls, baguettes, pizza bases, pastry. A dough strengthener and volume improver used in industrial baking.
- What replaces it
- Contact the manufacturer to ask about the source of the mono- and diglycerides used in their DATEM.
Editorial notes
DATEM is closely related to E471 (mono- and diglycerides) in terms of the vegan status problem — both can be plant or animal-derived and neither requires source declaration. In practice, many large European bakery suppliers use vegetable-oil derived mono/diglycerides due to cost and supply consistency, but verification requires direct contact.
Frequently asked questions
Is DATEM vegetarian?
Depends on Source. Some routes to it require the animal to die and some do not, and the label rarely says which was used.
Is DATEM vegan?
Depends on Source. DATEM depends on the supplier. E472e is built from mono- and diglycerides reacted with tartaric and acetic acid, and those glycerides start out as either vegetable oil or animal fat. Labels never say which, so email the bakery brand; most large European suppliers now use vegetable oil for cost and supply reasons.
Is DATEM vegan?
DATEM can be vegan, but it is not guaranteed to be. The emulsifier is made from mono- and diglycerides, which can be derived from either vegetable oils or animal fats. The label does not say which. Many industrial suppliers use plant sources. For a specific product, the only way to be certain is to ask the manufacturer or look for a vegan label.
What is DATEM made from?
DATEM is made by reacting mono- and diglycerides with tartaric acid and acetic acid derivatives. Tartaric acid typically comes from winemaking byproducts, and acetic acid is fermented or synthetic. Neither is a vegan concern. The mono- and diglycerides are the uncertain component, since their fatty acids can come from vegetable oil or animal fat.
Is DATEM in bread vegan?
Not necessarily. The DATEM used in commercial bread is often made from vegetable oils. Bread labels do not declare the source, so a specific loaf cannot be assumed vegan on that basis. Bread that carries a vegan label, or bread made without emulsifiers, avoids the question entirely.