Food Safety Substance
Potassium carbonateE501
Potassium carbonate (E501) is a food additive with PUBLISHED in the EU, GRAS in the US, and data from 8 regulatory sources.
CAS 584-08-7
E501
Indexable evidence set
FDA
GRAS
ADI / TDI
ADI NOT LIMITED mg/kg bw
Codex
16 row(s)
SOURCE
D1 identity resolution
e number aliases | Food Additives | dsstox identifiers | 8 matched regulatory source group(s)
Substance Identity
Resolved identifiers used to render this food-safety record.
Substance name
Potassium carbonate
CAS
584-08-7
E-number
E501
DTXSID
DTXSID2036245
PubChem CID
11430
Evidence tier
Indexable evidence set (14)
SOURCE
EU Commission
FDA | Health Canada | Codex Alimentarius
Multi-Jurisdiction Comparison
Side-by-side status rows for the same resolved substance across public food regulators.
| Jurisdiction | Authority | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | EU Commission | PUBLISHED | EU additive listing; Annex II entry |
| Canada | Health Canada | Listed | Acidity regulator |
| Codex | Codex Alimentarius | Listed | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer |
SOURCE
EU Commission
EU Food Additives | EU Food Additives Database
EU Food Additive Status
EU Commission food-additive listing rows from eu_food_additives.
| Jurisdiction | E-number | Status | Type | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | E501 | PUBLISHED | substanceFAD | Potassium carbonate | - |
SOURCE
EU Commission
EU Annex II Authorised | EU Food Additives Database
EU Annex II Authorised Uses
Authorised additive rows and use conditions from EU Annex II tables.
| Jurisdiction | E-number | Name | INS | Policy item | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | E501 | Potassium carbonate | - | POL-FAD-IMPORT-3202 | - |
Conditions and restrictions
| Jurisdiction | Food category | Restriction | Comment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | 9.1.2 Unprocessed molluscs and crustaceans | quantum satis | only frozen and deep-frozen cephalopods’ | EU Annex II Union List |
| European Union | 11.4.1 table-top sweeteners in liquid form | quantum satis | - | EU Annex II Union List |
| European Union | 11.4.2 table-top sweeteners in powder form | quantum satis | - | EU Annex II Union List |
| European Union | 11.4.3 table-top sweeteners in tablets | quantum satis | - | EU Annex II Union List |
| European Union | 13.1.3 Processed cereal-based foods and baby foods as defined by Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 | quantum satis | only as rising agent | EU Annex II Union List |
| European Union | - | quantum satis | only as rising agent | EU Annex II Union List |
| European Union | 11.4.1 table-top sweeteners in liquid form | quantum satis | - | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 11.4.2 table-top sweeteners in powder form | quantum satis | - | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 11.4.3 table-top sweeteners in tablets | quantum satis | - | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 13.1.3 Processed cereal-based foods and baby foods as defined by Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 | quantum satis | only as rising agent | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | - | quantum satis | only as rising agent | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 4.1.2 peeled cut and shredded fruit and vegetables | quantum satis | only prepacked refrigerated unprocessed fruit and vegetables ready for consumption and prepacked unprocessed and peeled potatoes | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 9.1.2 Unprocessed molluscs and crustaceans | quantum satis | only frozen and deep-frozen cephalopods’ | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 1.9 Edible caseinates | quantum satis | - | EU Food Additives Database |
| European Union | 1.10 Milk-based drinks and similar products intended for young children* | quantum satis | - | EU Food Additives Database |
SOURCE
Codex Alimentarius
Codex GSFA
Codex GSFA Status
Codex Alimentarius GSFA permissions and maximum-use rows.
| Jurisdiction | INS / E-number | Function | Food category | Max level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 01.1.2 Other fluid milk (plain) | GMP | Excluding all fluid milks that are not mineral or vitamin fortified. |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 01.2.1.2 Fermented milks (plain), heat-treated after fermentation | GMP | For use as a stabilizer or thickener only. |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 01.4.1 Pasteurized cream (plain) | GMP | Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Cream and Prepared Creams (reconstituted cream, recombined cream, prepackaged liquid cream) (CODEX STAN 288-1976). |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 01.4.2 Sterilized and UHT creams, whipping and whipped creams, and reduced fat creams (plain) | GMP | - |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 01.8.2 Dried whey and whey products, excluding whey cheeses | GMP | Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Dairy Permeate Powders (CXS 331-2017). |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 04.2.2.7 Fermented vegetable (including mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses and legumes, and aloe vera) and seaweed products, excluding fermented soybean products of food categories 06.8.6, 06.8.7, 12.9.1, 12.9.2.1 and 12.9.2.3 | GMP | Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Gochujang (CXS 294-2009). |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 06.4.1 Fresh pastas and noodles and like products | 11,000 mg/kg | - |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 06.4.2 Dried pastas and noodles and like products | GMP | For use in noodles, gluten-free pasta and pasta intended for hypoproteic diets only. |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 09.2.2 Frozen battered fish, fish fillets, and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms | GMP | For use in breading or batter coatings only. |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 09.2.3 Frozen minced and creamed fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms | GMP | - |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 09.2.4 Cooked and/or fried fish and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms | GMP | - |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 09.2.5 Smoked, dried, fermented, and/or salted fish and fish products, including mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms | GMP | Excluding products conforming to the Standard for Crackers from Marine and Freshwater Fish, Crustaceans and Molluscan Shellfish (CODEX STAN 222-2001).; Excluding products... |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 13.1.1 Infant formulae | 2,000 mg/kg | Within the limits for sodium, calcium, and potassium specified in the Standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants (CXS 72-1981):... |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 13.1.2 Follow-up formulae | GMP | Maximum use level is expressed as mg additive/L of food.; As consumed. |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 13.1.3 Formulae for special medical purposes for infants | 2,000 mg/kg | Within the limits for sodium, calcium, and potassium specified in the Standard for Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants (CXS 72-1981):... |
| Codex | 501(i) | Acidity regulator; Stabilizer | 14.1.5 Coffee, coffee substitutes, tea, herbal infusions, and other hot cereal and grain beverages, excluding cocoa | GMP | For use in ready-to-drink products and pre-mixes for ready-to-drink products only. |
SOURCE
Health Canada
Health Canada Status
Health Canada food-additive permissions by functional class and food scope.
| Jurisdiction | Class | Permitted foods | Maximum level | List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Acidity regulator | (a) Blend of prepared fish and prepared meat as set out in paragraph 18.1.3(g) of the Food Compositional Standards Document | (a) Good Manufacturing Practice | List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials |
| Canada | Acidity regulator | (b) Calorie-reduced margarine; Margarine | (b) Good Manufacturing Practice | List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials |
| Canada | Acidity regulator | (c) Cocoa products as defined in Volume 4 of the Food Compositional Standards Document | (c) Good Manufacturing Practice. If used singly, the amount of potassium carbonate in neutralizing value, calculated from its weight, not to exceed the neutralizing value of 5% anhydrous potassium carbonate by weight of the cocoa product, calculated on a fat-free basis. If used in any combination with other acidity regulators, the total combined amount of these acidity regulators in neutralizing value, calculated from their respective weight, not to exceed the neutralizing value of 5% anhydrous potassium carbonate by weight of the cocoa product, calculated on a fat-free basis. This total combined amount does not include any of citric acid, phosphoric acid or tartaric acid that may be added up to their respective maximum levels of use set out in this list. | List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials |
| Canada | Acidity regulator | (d) Cold-pack (naming the variety) cheese; Cold-pack cheese food; Cold-pack cheese food with (naming the added ingredients); Cold-pack (naming the variety) cheese with (naming the added ingredients); Cream cheese... | (d) Good Manufacturing Practice | List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials |
| Canada | Acidity regulator | (e) Fruit wine; Wine | (e) Good Manufacturing Practice | List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials |
| Canada | Acidity regulator | (f) Unstandardized foods | (f) Good Manufacturing Practice | List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials |
| Canada | Preservative | (a)Brawn; Headcheese; Meat and meat by-product loaf; Meat by-product loaf; Meat loaf; Meat lunch; Meat roll; Potted meat; Potted meat by-product; Prepared meat or prepared meat by-product; Prepared poultry meat or... | (a)Good Manufacturing Practice. The total amount of potassium diacetate or sodium diacetate, or both, from the addition of modified vinegar or otherwise added to the food, not to exceed 2,500 ppm. | List of Permitted Preservatives |
| Canada | Preservative | (b)Pumping pickle, cover pickle or dry cure used in the curing of preserved meat or preserved meat by-product | (b)Good Manufacturing Practice. The total amount of potassium diacetate or sodium diacetate, or both, from the addition of modified vinegar or otherwise added, not to exceed 2,500 ppm in the preserved meat or preserved meat by-product. | List of Permitted Preservatives |
| Canada | Preservative | (c)Unstandardized preparations of meat or meat by-product; Unstandardized preparations of poultry meat or poultry meat by-product | (c)Good Manufacturing Practice. The total amount of potassium diacetate or sodium diacetate, or both, from the addition of modified vinegar or otherwise added to the food, not to exceed 2,500 ppm. | List of Permitted Preservatives |
SOURCE
EU Commission
EU Food Contact Materials
EU FCM Substances
EU food-contact material rows and migration-limit fields.
| Jurisdiction | FCM no. | Ref no. | Substance | Use | SML | Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | - | - | potassium carbonate | - | - | Regulation (EC) No 450/2009, Register v1.1 |
SOURCE
JECFA
JECFA ADI
JECFA ADI Values
JECFA ADI records and evaluation years.
| Jurisdiction | Chemical name | JECFA no. | CAS | ADI | ADI upper | Function | Evaluation year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JECFA | POTASSIUM CARBONATE | - | 584-08-7 | NOT LIMITED | - | ACIDITY_REGULATOR | 1965 |
SOURCE
ingredients
ghs classifications
Cross-Reference to Cosmetics / Chemicals / Pharma
Same-CAS public rows from adjacent Roots verticals where available.
SOURCE
Cross-vertical comparison
ingredients | ghs classifications
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
This substance has different regulatory treatment across food, cosmetics, and industrial use.
SOURCE
FAQPage JSON-LD
public food renderer rows
Frequently Asked Questions
Food-use, safety, ADI, and cross-vertical answers mirrored into FAQPage JSON-LD.
What is Potassium carbonate used for in food?
Potassium carbonate appears in food-use rows as: Acidity regulator/Antioxidant; Acidity regulator; Stabilizer; Acidity regulator.
Is Potassium carbonate / E501 safe?
This page does not assign a standalone safety verdict; it renders public regulatory evidence. ADI/reference value: ADI NOT LIMITED mg/kg bw. EU status evidence: PUBLISHED. US/FDA evidence: GRAS.
What is the ADI for Potassium carbonate?
Potassium carbonate has this ADI/reference value in the food-safety tables: ADI NOT LIMITED mg/kg bw. Source: WHO JECFA.
Is Potassium carbonate also used in cosmetics?
Potassium carbonate has a same-CAS cosmetics cross-reference: Potassium Carbonate, EU status permitted.