Purified alkoxylated sucrose esters of the formula: wherein R is independently selected from: COR'; CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.xH; and (CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.x COR'; wherein R' is a fatty acid compound having from about 2 to about 28 carbon atoms; and wherein x is a number selected from about 1 to about 50; wherein at least one of the R groups is an ester group that is directly esterified to the sucrose backbone; and wherein the alkoxylated sucrose ester composition further comprises: less than 1% aldehydes; less than 1% ketones; less than 1% benzyl halide; less that 1% mono-benzyl ether; less than 1% acetals; and less than 1% ketals.