Potassium nitrate (E252)
- Food Fine
What is Potassium nitrate (E252)?
Potassium nitrate (E252) is used to cure meats; most of the nitrate in your diet actually comes from vegetables, not additives. Normal amounts stay well below the safe daily limit, even for people who eat a lot of cured meat. It's fine at normal amounts.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Potassium nitrate?
Yasno’s verdict on Potassium nitrate: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts.
Is Potassium nitrate allowed in the EU?
EU status of Potassium nitrate: Listed in Yasno’s EU regulatory data, with no further details recorded. Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Listed in Yasno’s EU regulatory data, with no further details recorded | Regulated as a food additive by the US FDA |
What else is it called?
- Saltpeter
- Nitre
- Niter
Sources
- Re-evaluation of sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) as food additives, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2017
- Nitrates and nitrites added to food, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2017
Always check the physical label. Yasno describes evidence and regulatory status. It never says a product is free of an allergen or safe for you, and it is not medical advice.
Yasno reads the whole label from a photo and explains every ingredient like this. It is coming soon to the App Store.