E252 - Potassium nitrate

Functions: Preservative

Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−, and is therefore an alkali metal nitrate. It occurs in nature as a mineral, niter. It is a source of nitrogen, from which it derives its name. Potassium nitrate is one of several nitrogen-containing compounds collectively referred to as saltpeter or saltpetre. Major uses of potassium nitrate are in fertilizers, tree stump removal, rocket propellants and fireworks. It is one of the major constituents of gunpowder -black powder- and has been used since the Middle Ages as a food preservative. - Wikipedia

EFSA evaluation: Re‐evaluation of sodium nitrate -E 251- and potassium nitrate -E 252- as food additives (2017/06/15)

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined that some population groups have a high risk of consuming too much E252 - Potassium nitrate.

To evaluate your exposure to the E252 - Potassium nitrate food additive, you can browse our list of products that contain it. See the list of products with E252 - Potassium nitrate below.

	Infants	Toddlers	Children	Adolescents	Adults	Elderly
	< 1	1 to 2	3 to 9	10 to 17	18 to 64	65+
High risk (50% of people or more)
Moderate risk (5% of people or more)

: Risk of reaching or exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)