About
Potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) is an inorganic alkaline salt used in food as an acidity regulator, raising agent, and stabilizer. It has been employed for centuries in baking, Asian-style alkaline noodle production, cocoa processing, and, more recently, as a texture and colour improver in cephalopod seafood.
Safety summary
The EU Scientific Committee for Food (SCF, 1990) established an ADI of 'not specified', meaning intake at levels required for technological purposes presents no health hazard. No reproductive, developmental, neurotoxic, or carcinogenic concerns have been identified, and no formal ADI or acute reference dose (ARfD) was deemed necessary given potassium's essential physiological role. The primary risk is for individuals with severely impaired renal function, who may be unable to excrete excess potassium, potentially leading to hyperkalaemia.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/141 extended use of E501 potassium carbonates as an acidity regulator in food category 09.1.2 (unprocessed molluscs and crustaceans, specifically cephalopods); bath concentration not to exceed 3%source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Permitted as INS 501(i) under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations; conditions of use aligned with Codex GSFA; specific maximum levels vary by food categorysource |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | GRAS status affirmed under 21 CFR 184.1619 as a direct food ingredient; also permitted as a boiler water additive in steam contacting food at GMP levels under 21 CFR 173.310source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. 21 CFR 184.1619 – Potassium Carbonate (GRAS Direct Food Ingredient). accessdata.fda.gov
- 2other. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/141 of 21 January 2022 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 regarding use of sodium carbonates (E 500) and potassium carbonates (E 501) in unprocessed cephalopods, 2022. eur-lex.europa.eu
- 3EFSA. Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance potassium hydrogen carbonate – EFSA Journal 2021;19(5):e06593, 2021. efsa.europa.eu
- 4PubMed. Are Food Additives a Really Problematic Hidden Source of Potassium for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients?, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5EFSA. Reports of the Scientific Committee for Food, Twenty-fifth Series (1991) – Evaluation of Potassium Carbonate (E 501), 1991. ec.europa.eu