Emulsifier.

Sucrose esters consist of a hydrophilic sugar 'head' and one or more lipophilic fatty acid 'tails' and are therefore classified as emulsifiers. The degree of esterification, e.g. one sugar 'head' and one or more fatty acid 'tails', determines if the emulsifier is of a hydrophilic (high HLB) or a lipophilic nature (low HLB).