Sodium Citrate | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid, existing as mono- (INS 331i), di- (INS 331ii), and trisodium (INS 331iii) forms; it functions as an acidity regulator, buffering agent, emulsifying salt, and sequestrant in a wide range of processed foods and beverages. It is widely used in processed cheese, soft drinks, jams, infant formula, and sports drinks to control pH, improve texture, and stabilise formulations.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Both JECFA and EFSA have established an ADI of 'not specified' for sodium citrates, reflecting a robust safety record at levels used in food and no evidence of genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, or reproductive toxicity. The primary nutritional concern is its sodium content: at high cumulative dietary exposure, sodium citrate may contribute meaningfully to total sodium intake, which is relevant for individuals with hypertension, heart disease, or chronic kidney disease. No sensitive-population contraindications beyond sodium load have been identified in regulatory assessments.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Permitted as sodium citrates (INS 331) under FSANZ Food Standards Code Standard 1.3.1; listed as an acidity regulator with quantum satis permissions in most food categories.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Authorised as E331 (monosodium, disodium, and trisodium citrate) under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and its Annex II; permitted at quantum satis as acidity regulator, emulsifying salt, and sequestrant across most food categories; specific maximum levels apply in infant formula and some processed foods.source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) / Food Standards Scotland (FSS) (United Kingdom)	Approved	Retained as E331 under Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 following Brexit; same permissions as the EU framework apply in Great Britain.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Permitted as INS 331 (sodium citrates: 331i monosodium, 331ii disodium, 331iii trisodium) under FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 (Compendium Version II, Jan 2024); approved as acidity regulator at GMP levels across multiple food categories including infant formula.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Hypertension — Sodium citrate contributes to dietary sodium intake; individuals with hypertension or salt-sensitive conditions should account for cumulative sodium from processed foods containing this additive to stay within recommended daily sodium limits.

Kidney Disease — The sodium load from sodium citrate may exacerbate fluid retention and electrolyte imbalance in individuals with chronic kidney disease, for whom total dietary sodium must be carefully managed under medical supervision.

Heart Disease — As a source of dietary sodium, cumulative intake of sodium citrate from multiple processed food sources may contribute to elevated blood pressure and fluid retention in individuals with heart failure or cardiovascular disease.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 §182.1751 – Sodium Citrate (GRAS Sequestrant) and §184.1751 – Sodium Citrate (Affirmed GRAS). accessdata.fda.gov
2WHO. FAO/WHO GSFA Online – Trisodium Citrate: JECFA Food Additive Details. fao.org
3other. Authorised Regulated Food and Feed Products – E-331 Sodium Citrates (Food Standards Agency, Great Britain). data.food.gov.uk
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Compendium Version II (January 2024), 2024. fssai.gov.in
5EFSA. Re-evaluation of citric acid (E 330) and its sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium salts (E 331–333) as food additives, 2014. efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Independently researched5 citations