About
Tribasic calcium phosphate (tricalcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2) is an inorganic calcium salt of phosphoric acid used in food as an anticaking agent, acidity regulator, and calcium/phosphorus nutrient supplement. It is a white, odorless, tasteless powder that is virtually water-insoluble but dissolves readily in the acidic environment of the stomach, releasing calcium and phosphate ions identical to those from natural dietary sources.
Safety summary
EFSA (2019) concluded that phosphate salts including E341(iii) pose no danger of acute oral toxicity, genotoxicity, cardiovascular disease, bone mineral density loss, or carcinogenicity, and established a group ADI of 40 mg phosphorus/kg bw/day protective for healthy adults. However, EFSA noted that estimated phosphate exposure from food additives may exceed this ADI for infants, toddlers, and children at mean and 95th-percentile consumption levels. Individuals with chronic kidney disease are a particularly sensitive population, as impaired phosphate excretion can lead to hyperphosphatemia when dietary phosphate load is elevated.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Group ADI of 40 mg P/kg bw/day applies to all phosphate food additives (E338–341, E343, E450–452) expressed as phosphorus. Approved as E341(iii) (tricalcium phosphate) in approximately 104 food categories. EFSA flagged that E341(i, ii, iii) meet criteria for particle-size risk assessment follow-up; business operators asked to submit particle-size distribution data.source |
| JECFA (JECFA (FAO/WHO)) | Approved | JECFA assigned an MTDI (Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake) of 0–70 mg/kg bw/day expressed as total dietary phosphorus from all sources (JECFA Meeting 26, TRS 683). Functional classes: acidity regulator and anticaking agent. JECFA used MTDI rather than ADI because phosphorus is an essential nutrient naturally present in foods.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Designated GRAS under 21 CFR 182.5217 (miscellaneous) and 21 CFR 182.8217 (nutrient/dietary supplement); permitted in bread (Part 136), jelly and preserves (Part 150), and cereal flours at GMP levels. Also listed in FDA Food Contact Substances inventory.source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1WHO. JECFA Evaluation of Tricalcium Phosphate (INS 341(iii)) – WHO Food Additives and Contaminants JECFA Database. apps.who.int
- 2FDA. FDA Food Additive Status List – Calcium Phosphate (mono-, di-, or tribasic). fda.gov
- 3PubMed. On the Application of Calcium Phosphate Micro- and Nanoparticles as Food Additive, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4PubMed. New Analytical Approach for the Determination of Calcium Phosphate Dibasic and Tribasic in Processed Food by Comparison of Ion Chromatography with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5EFSA. 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
