Process for removing polysorbitols from sorbitan esters

摘要

A process for removing polyol impurities from a sorbitan ester solution involving: (a) providing a sorbitan ester solution containing polyol impurities; (b) adding to the sorbitan ester solution a clarifying-effective amount of a silica component; (c) adsorbing the polyol impurities from the sorbitan ester solution onto the silica to form a mixture of sorbitan ester and polyol-containing silica; and (d) removing the polyol-containing silica from the sorbitan ester solution.