Sorbitan tristearate is a nonionic surfactant

Surfactant

Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid...

. It is variously used as a dispersing agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer

Stabilizer (chemistry)

In chemistry a stabilizer is a chemical which tends to inhibit the reaction between two or more other chemicals. It can be thought of as the antonym to a catalyst...

, in food

Food additive

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...

 and in aerosol spray

Aerosol spray

Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid particles. This is used with a can or bottle that contains a liquid under pressure. When the container's valve is opened, the liquid is forced out of a small hole and emerges as an aerosol or mist...

s. As a food additive, it has the E number

E number

E numbers are number codes for food additives that have been assessed for use within the European Union . They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority...

E492. Brand names for Polysorbates include Alkest, Canarcel and Span.

The consistency of sorbitan tristearate is waxy; its color is light cream to tan.

Sorbitan tristearate is a mixture of the partial esters of sorbitol and its
anhydrides with stearic acid.