Polysorbatesare used as emulsifiers in processed foods, such as frozen desserts,shortenings, baking mixes, icings, and canned vegetables. For example, Polysorbates 80 is added to ice cream to make it smoother,easier to handle, and more resistant to melting. Polysorbates are usedto solubilize essential oils into water-based products and to create smoothtextures and ensure proper dispersion of ingredients in creams, lotions,serums, and makeup. Polysorbates 20 can also act as an anti-static agent,thickener, and viscosity modifier. Polysorbates are used in oral andtopical pharmaceutical dosage forms to protect protein-based active pharmaceuticalingredients against interfacial stresses.