E249 / Preservatives
Potassium nitrite
Safety in brief
Use caution
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- No allergen or sensitivity is recorded for this ingredient here. Check the whole product label; this is not an allergen-free guarantee.
- Our advice
- Read the whole food label and consider how often you eat the product. A name or E number does not tell you the amount, and an ingredient rating cannot assess the entire food.
What it is
Potassium nitrite is a curing agent and preservative used in processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausages. Its main food-safety role is inhibiting the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism, and it also helps cured meats keep their characteristic pink color. When heated to high temperatures, nitrites can react with proteins to form nitrosamines, compounds linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption, which is why regulators cap how much can be added. It is not typically used outside meat curing in food applications.
Also appears on labels as: Potassium nitrite, KNO2, Food grade potassium nitrite, E249, E 249, E-249, INS 249, Potassium(I) nitrite, Potassium nitrite powder, Potassium nitrite solution, Additivo alimentare E249, Additif alimentaire E249.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- None recorded
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Selected research on E249
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of potassium and sodium nitrite
Set a safe daily limit of 0.07 mg nitrite per kg of body weight. Intake from additives stayed under it, apart from a slight excess in high-eating children. Noted some evidence linking dietary nitrite with stomach cancer.
Publisher amendment:
Summaries of each source's published abstract or statement, checked . This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Effectively prevents Clostridium botulinum growth in cured meats, a key food-safety benefit.
- Can combine with amines during high-heat cooking (e.g., frying bacon) to form nitrosamines, some of which are probable human carcinogens; the WHO/IARC classifies processed meat containing nitrites as carcinogenic (Group 1) based partly on this pathway.
- High intake can reduce the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity (methemoglobinemia), a particular risk for infants.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Re‐evaluation of potassium nitrite (E 249) and sodium nitrite (E 250) as food additives — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2017). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
- Potassium Nitrite (E249) – Safety Review — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2017). EFSA ADI 0.07 mg/kg bw/day; used in cured meats; risk of nitrosamine formation; restricted levels.[avoid]
Country rules
Country checks for E249
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Annex II Part B, version , contains the exact code E249: Potassium nitrite. Listing alone does not allow every food use. Part E food categories, limits, specifications and applicable later acts still need a product-specific check. Source read: . |
| Great Britain | The FSA register record for E249 (Potassium nitrite) lists “Authorised” in England, Scotland and Wales. Register updated: 01 April 2025; record checked: . Food-specific conditions and specifications still need a separate legal check. |
| United States | Selected US conditions for Potassium nitrite Official federal text current through ; read . Food uses, limits and exceptionsUSDA cured-meat and poultry conditions The curing-agent table includes sodium and potassium nitrite/nitrate, with process-specific amounts. Nitrites and nitrates may not be used in the listed baby, junior or toddler foods. The stated finished-product ceiling is 200 ppm nitrite calculated as sodium nitrite, with separate bacon rules. It is not the same as an ingoing curing amount or a personal intake limit. Bacon: ingoing amounts depend on the process The standard pumped-bacon provision uses 120 ppm sodium nitrite or 148 ppm potassium nitrite, plus 550 ppm sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate. The section has separate lower-nitrite alternatives and additional requirements. Immersion-cured bacon has maximum ingoing amounts of 120/148 ppm; dry-cured bacon 200/246 ppm, respectively. These figures are based on the specified skin-free green weight, not a laboratory result for the finished bacon. EatMatrix’s reading: a legal use condition answers where and how an ingredient may be used. It is not a test of your product, a personal safe intake or a claim that the ingredient benefits your body. Match the named substance, food and amount. Other federal provisions, food standards, state rules and later changes may also apply; this is a selected source review, not a complete product-compliance decision. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | Named food-use records located. Health Canada lists the preparations below for specified foods and purposes. This is conditional permission for those uses, not approval of every product or a personal safety verdict. Only the named records and conditions below were located. Exact composition and specifications still need matching. Source tables captured . List publication dates are shown separately. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a condition of use, not an unlimited amount or a recommended intake. Food and Drug Regulations B.16.003 requires the listed source, purpose, amount and other conditions to match. The official consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026; product specifications and applicable later changes still need checking. Read 4 listed food-use conditionsPotassium NitriteHealth Canada: List of Permitted Preservatives. List published ; item P.8.
EatMatrix reading: match the exact preparation and food first. A manufacturing limit is not an acceptable daily intake (ADI). A label without the amount cannot establish exposure, and an unlisted name here does not establish a ban. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 1 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment reference
- EFSA opinion located for E249. Identity and code coverage checked; full findings review pending.
- Original ingredient record
- 2 research links; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Use caution |
| WHO | Safe in moderation |
| EFSA | Safe in moderation |
| FSANZ | Safe in moderation |
| Japan | Safe in moderation |
| UK FSA | Safe in moderation |
| Health Canada | Safe in moderation |
An official EFSA assessment for E249
An official scientific opinion covering E249 exists. A missing research link or rating in our database does not mean this additive has never been assessed. This reference identifies the document; it does not replace a review of its findings, later research or current food-use rules.
EFSA: Re-evaluation of potassium nitrite (E249) and sodium nitrite (E250)
- Published
- Publisher amendment
- Codes covered by this reference
- E249, E250
- Source type
- EFSA scientific opinion, not an individual human trial
The publisher records amendments on February 13, 2019 and May 31, 2021. The link opens the publisher record, not a frozen 2017 copy.
EatMatrix checked this reference’s identity and code coverage on . The full evidence review, an exhaustive check for subsequent publications and corrections, and market-specific permissions remain pending. This does not change the recorded EatMatrix rating above.
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E249?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E249 (Potassium nitrite) is “Use caution”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E249 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Potassium nitrite — vegan: yes, vegetarian: yes, halal: yes, kosher: yes, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E249 and why is it used?
Potassium nitrite is a curing agent and preservative used in processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausages. Its main food-safety role is inhibiting the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism, and it also helps cured meats keep their characteristic pink color. When heated to high temperatures, nitrites can react with proteins to form nitrosamines, compounds linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption, which is why regulators cap how much can be added. It is not typically used outside meat curing in food applications.
Does E249 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Potassium nitrite.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.