Origin
E 444 is synthesized in a chemical process from common household sugar, sucrose.
Usage
As already described, E 444 can change the density of substances and is therefore very well suited for mixing and distributing aromas, colors, and turbid and suspended particles in beverages and maintaining this mixture stable. E 444 is only approved in the European Union for use with two specific types of food. It may exclusively be used for aromatic turbid non-alcoholic drinks as well as such aromatic turbid drinks with an alcohol content below 15% Vol. The maximum allowed amount is 300 mg per liter.
Risks
The food additive sucrose acetate isobutyrate is considered harmless to the human organism. However, this mainly stems from its difficulty in being analyzed. Toxic reactions were observed in some animal tests. The ADI value (Acceptable Daily Intake), i.e., the recommended daily dose, is set at 10 mg per kilogram of body weight.