E252 · Potassium nitrate
- WHO
- Safe
- FDA
- Safe
- EFSA
- Safe
- FSANZ
- Safe
- Japan
- Safe
- UK FSA
- Safe
- Health Canada
- Safe
What is E252?
Potassium nitrate, also known as saltpeter, is a curing agent occasionally used in meat preservation to inhibit bacterial growth and help maintain a pink color in cured products. Like sodium nitrate, it can be converted in the body into nitrite and, under high heat, into nitrosamines, compounds linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption of cured meats. It has much larger non-food uses as a fertilizer (supplying plants with nitrogen and potassium) and as an oxidizer in gunpowder and fireworks -- those applications are unrelated to its food use. Food use is regulated with maximum permitted levels.
Also appears on labels as: Potassium nitrate, KNO3, Saltpeter, Food grade potassium nitrate, E252, E 252, E-252, INS 252, Potassium(V) nitrate, Potassium nitrate powder, Potassium nitrate solution, Additivo alimentare E252.
What the evidence says
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
Is E252 safe?
Our overall verdict for E252 (Potassium nitrate) is “Safe”, based on the most cautious of the major regulators’ positions — FDA: safe; WHO: safe; EFSA: safe; FSANZ: safe; Japan: safe; UK FSA: safe; Health Canada: safe.
Is E252 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Potassium 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 E252 and why is it used?
Potassium nitrate, also known as saltpeter, is a curing agent occasionally used in meat preservation to inhibit bacterial growth and help maintain a pink color in cured products. Like sodium nitrate, it can be converted in the body into nitrite and, under high heat, into nitrosamines, compounds linked to increased cancer risk with regular high consumption of cured meats. It has much larger non-food uses as a fertilizer (supplying plants with nitrogen and potassium) and as an oxidizer in gunpowder and fireworks -- those applications are unrelated to its food use. Food use is regulated with maximum permitted levels.
Does E252 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Potassium nitrate.
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This page summarises publicly available regulatory assessments and research. It is general information, not medical advice. Sources: EFSA, FDA, WHO and the studies linked above.