E251 / Preservatives
Sodium nitrate
Safety in brief
Safe in moderation
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
Sodium nitrate is a curing agent used in some processed and cured meats to preserve color and inhibit bacterial growth, including Clostridium botulinum. In the body, it can be converted into nitrite and, under high heat, into nitrosamines, compounds linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption; this is distinct from the nitrate naturally present in vegetables like spinach and beets, which is generally viewed more favorably. Outside food, it's also used in fertilizers and, due to its strong oxidizing properties, in explosives and glass manufacturing -- those are unrelated industrial uses. Regulators set maximum permitted levels for its use in food.
Also appears on labels as: Sodium nitrate, NaNO3, E251, E 251, E-251, INS 251, Chile saltpeter, Chilean saltpeter, Peru saltpeter, Nitre, Niter, Nitratine.
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 E251
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of sodium and potassium nitrate
Kept the safe daily limit of 3.7 mg per kg of body weight. Nitrate from additives is under 5% of the nitrate people get from food.
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
- In the body and during food processing, nitrate can convert to nitrite and then to nitrosamines, some of which are linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption of cured meats.
- High levels in drinking water (from agricultural runoff, not food additive use) pose a particular risk to infants by reducing blood oxygen-carrying capacity (methemoglobinemia, 'blue baby syndrome').
- Dietary nitrate from vegetables (e.g., leafy greens, beets) is generally considered to have a different, often favorable, health profile compared with nitrate/nitrite added to cured meats.
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 sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) 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.
Country rules
Country checks for E251
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 E251: Sodium nitrate. 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 E251 (Sodium nitrate) 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 Sodium nitrate Official federal text current through ; read . Food uses, limits and exceptionsFDA named uses The section lists smoked cured sablefish, salmon and shad and specified home-curing preparations. It limits sodium nitrate to 500 ppm and sodium nitrite to 200 ppm in the finished product and imposes labelling and use-direction conditions. This does not settle other foods or replace USDA meat rules. USDA 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. No nitrate curing of bacon USDA expressly prohibits nitrates in curing bacon. Nitrite permissions and nitrate permissions must not be treated as interchangeable. 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 5 listed food-use conditionsSodium NitrateHealth Canada: List of Permitted Preservatives. List published ; item S.10.
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 E251. Identity and code coverage checked; full findings review pending.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; 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 | Safe in moderation |
| 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 E251
An official scientific opinion covering E251 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 sodium nitrate (E251) and potassium nitrate (E252)
- Published
- Publisher amendment
- Codes covered by this reference
- E251, E252
- Source type
- EFSA scientific opinion, not an individual human trial
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 E251?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E251 (Sodium nitrate) is “Safe in moderation”. 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 E251 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Sodium nitrate — 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 E251 and why is it used?
Sodium nitrate is a curing agent used in some processed and cured meats to preserve color and inhibit bacterial growth, including Clostridium botulinum. In the body, it can be converted into nitrite and, under high heat, into nitrosamines, compounds linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption; this is distinct from the nitrate naturally present in vegetables like spinach and beets, which is generally viewed more favorably. Outside food, it's also used in fertilizers and, due to its strong oxidizing properties, in explosives and glass manufacturing -- those are unrelated industrial uses. Regulators set maximum permitted levels for its use in food.
Does E251 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Sodium nitrate.
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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.