Potassium Phosphates

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Potassium phosphates are potassium salts of orthophosphoric acid produced in three forms — mono- (E340i), di- (E340ii), and tri-potassium (E340iii) phosphate — used in food processing as acidity regulators, emulsifying salts, stabilisers, and raising agents. They are found in processed cheeses, cereals, beverages, fish products, and infant formula.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

EFSA (2019) established a group ADI of 40 mg phosphorus/kg body weight per day for phosphate food additives (including E340), characterising them as of low acute oral toxicity with no genotoxicity or carcinogenicity concerns. Estimated dietary phosphate exposure from all sources exceeds this ADI for infants, toddlers, and children at mean intake levels, and for infants through adolescents at the 95th percentile. The ADI explicitly does not apply to individuals with moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease, who are at heightened risk of hyperkalemia and mineral dysregulation from high phosphate intake.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Approved under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II and III, for use as acidity regulators, emulsifying salts, stabilisers, and raising agents across a wide range of food categories. Group ADI of 40 mg P/kg bw/day (expressed as phosphorus, covering all phosphate food additives E338–341, E343, E450–452) established by EFSA 2019 re-evaluation. Authorised in foods for infants and young children (food category 13.1). EFSA recommends introduction of numerical maximum permitted levels for phosphates used in food supplements in place of quantum satis. Permitted maximum levels in food range from 500 to 20,000 mg/kg depending on food type.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Dipotassium phosphate is GRAS/FS under 21 CFR 182.6285 (sequestrant in pasteurised process cheese). Monopotassium and tripotassium phosphate also hold GRAS status. Amounts added are governed by Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP); no fixed numerical daily maximum is established for most food uses. GRAS status limits the amount added to the discretion of the manufacturer under GMP guidelines.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Kidney Disease — EFSA's group ADI for phosphates explicitly does not apply to people with moderate-to-severe reduction in renal function; high phosphate intake in CKD elevates serum phosphate, raises hyperkalemia risk, stimulates parathyroid hormone, and accelerates disease progression.

Infants — EFSA (2019) found that estimated dietary phosphate exposure exceeds the group ADI for infants at mean intake levels, warranting careful monitoring of phosphate additive contributions in infant diets and formula.

Children — Exposure estimates exceed the EFSA group ADI for toddlers and children at mean intake levels and for infants through adolescents at the 95th percentile, indicating consistent overconsumption in these age groups.

Heart Disease — Elevated serum phosphate from inorganic phosphate additives has been linked to vascular and tissue calcification and cardiorenal disease risk via hormonal dysregulation, warranting caution in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

— High potassium content of E340 (a high-potassium-content additive) may interact with potassium-restricted dietary regimens sometimes prescribed alongside hypertension management, particularly in patients with concurrent renal impairment.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Industrial Use of Phosphate Food Additives: A Mechanism Linking Ultra-Processed Food Intake to Cardiorenal Disease Risk?, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Are Food Additives a Really Problematic Hidden Source of Potassium for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients?, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3EFSA. Re-evaluation of phosphoric acid–phosphates – di-, tri- and polyphosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) as food additives and the safety of proposed extension of use, 2019. efsa.europa.eu
4PubMed. Re-evaluation of phosphoric acid-phosphates - di-, tri- and polyphosphates (E 338-341, E 343, E 450-452) as food additives and the safety of proposed extension of use, 2019. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5EFSA. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates (press release), 2019. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations