What is CITREM?
[pronounced: ci-trem OR ˈsi-trem]
CITREM is an emulsifier, an ingredient that helps a mixture containing fats and water stay blended. CITREM is formally known as a citric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides, a somewhat intimidating proper name for such a common food ingredient made from vegetable oil. DATEM is another emulsifier like CITREM that is found in some formulas.
Why Is CITREM Added to Infant Formula?
Infant formula contains ingredients that dissolve in water (water soluble) and some that will only dissolve in fat (fat soluble). This is a tricky combination. Like a homemade vinegar and oil salad dressing, water and fat ingredients do not naturally blend. A quick, vigorous shake mixes salad dressing enough for a drizzle over greens, but the ingredients do not stay blended very long. Thirty seconds later, vinegar and oil have each taken up their separate stations as distinct as yellow lines on asphalt. Sprinkle this divorced dressing and you’ll end up with an oily, unappetizing mess.
If infant formula was like homemade salad dressing, you’d see it start to separate into layers of water and fat. Extensively hydrolyzed proteins, like casein hydrolysates found in allergy formulas, are particularly difficult to keep combined with all the other ingredients. Manufacturers therefore add small amounts of emulsifiers like CITREM so that formula remains well-blended and pleasant.
Regulations and Safety
CITREM is used in many foods and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the US FDA and has specifically been tested for use in infant formula and approved for use as an infant formula ingredient. The European Food Safety Authority approved DATEM as a food additive, and it has the E-number E472c. CITREM was jointly assessed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2014, which found there “are no toxicological concerns about the use of CITREM in infant formula and formula for special medical purposes at concentrations up to 9 g/L.”
Dietary Considerations
CITREM is made from vegetable oils and is therefore appropriate for vegans and vegetarians. It is usually made from non-GMO oils and is both kosher and halal.