Tween 80, commonly known as polysorbate 80, is a synthetic compound that is widely applied in a variety of fields, including foods, medicines, and cosmetics. In food production, it is commonly used as a defoamer for the fermenting process of some wines and as a emulsifier in ice-cream or “puddings” to keep the creamy texture without separating. Tween 80 is also extensively applied in pharmaceutical industry, where it can be found in some vaccines, vitamins and supplements. It is an effective excipient to stabilize aqueous formulations of medications for parenteral administration and to improve the consistency of gel capsules, thus to make pills disperse in the stomach. Besides, it commonly serve as a surfactant and solubilizer in the production of soaps and cosmetics, which is effective to help dissolve ingredients and make products look creamier and more attractive. In laboratory, it is occasionally used for a test to identify the phenotype of a strain or isolate, such as mycobacteria.
