Propyl Gallate

Additive · E 310

Propyl gallate is an antioxidant made from gallic acid and propanol. It helps protect fats and oils from oxidation, slowing rancidity and changes in flavor. It is used in some processed foods and is chemically distinct from similarly named preservatives and solvents.

Also known as

propyl gallate · n-propyl gallate · gallic acid propyl ester · propyl ester of gallic acid · propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate · benzoic acid, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-, propyl ester · n-propyl ester of 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid · 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid propyl ester · E 310 · INS 310

Why PRūF tracks it

The review considers equivocal animal tumor findings, incomplete reproductive evidence and experimental hormone or DNA effects; newer kidney toxicity depended on a concentrated intestinal-release formulation, while ordinary food exposure and long-term human outcomes remain poorly characterized.

Read the research

Propyl gallate helps preserve foods containing fats and oils. Its health evidence is mainly experimental, with little direct information about long-term outcomes in people. Regulators set daily intake values using a rat study that found blood-related effects at higher doses, while allowing extra room for gaps in chronic and reproductive testing. Older animal cancer studies included equivocal findings in males, so a blanket claim that every study was negative would be misleading.

Laboratory research has found hormone activity, DNA effects and impaired development of mouse eggs or embryos, but direct cell exposure does not reproduce eating food. A newer study found kidney injury in dogs given a large daily dose in tablets designed to release their contents in the intestine; ordinary capsules at the same dose did not produce renal toxicity. This shows why formulation matters. Other experiments have found protective antioxidant effects in chemically injured animals, which do not establish a health benefit for consumers.

Actual intake, susceptibility and food form remain important uncertainties. Current food rules permit specified uses, and the EU tightened manufacturing and purity requirements in 2025.

Research reviewed on September 5, 2026 · 12 sources