Phosphoric acid (E338)
- Food Caution
What is Phosphoric acid (E338)?
Phosphoric acid (E338) gives cola its sharp, tangy taste and controls acidity in other foods. An occasional drink isn't a concern for healthy people. The caution is about total phosphate across your whole diet, especially for children who drink a lot of cola and anyone with reduced kidney function.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Phosphoric acid?
Yasno’s verdict on Phosphoric acid: Caution. Some evidence of a concern, it depends on the amount, or it is genuinely worth knowing. A Caution always has a specific, sourced reason.
Is Phosphoric acid allowed in the EU?
EU status of Phosphoric acid: Permitted as a food additive. Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Permitted as a food additive | Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS, a US regulatory category) |
What else is it called?
- ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID
- o-Phosphoric acid
- Wc-reiniger
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-3107, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2013
- Re-evaluation of phosphoric acid–phosphates and related phosphates as food additives, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2019
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.
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