Anti-microbial properties

Fatty acids and fatty acid esters can have an inhibiting effect on the growth of certain bacteria, yeast and fungi. Gram positive bacteria are more susceptible than gram negative bacteria. The effectiveness of the inhibition depends on the chain length of the fatty acids and on the degree of substitution; sucrose mono-esters with a short chain length fatty acid is more effective. The antimicrobial properties are not used yet in food in Europe or the US, most important reason is that they cannot be used as broad spectrum preservatives. In Asia sucrose esters prevent flat sour spoilage in hot served canned coffee.