E381
Ferric ammonium citrate
Ammonium ferric citrate, a compound whose iron is trivalent.
Written from English Wikipedia1
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
What research says
How it’s made and used
-
Iron absorption in children2
In Thai children, iron absorption from ferric ammonium citrate in fortified rice was 83% of that from ferrous sulphate.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 184.1296
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 27 products on Open Food Facts that list ferric ammonium citrate.
- Original and Best IRN-BRU · 500 mL 5 additives
- Irn Bru Xtra A.G.Barr · 330 ml 6 additives
- IRN-BRU A.G. Barr · 330 ml 4 additives
- Irn-Bru Xtra Irn-Bru · 2 l 6 additives
- IRN BRU Wild Berry Slush IRN BRU · 330 ml 6 additives
- IRN Bru 500 ml 6 additives
References
- 1Ammonium ferric citrate. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
- 2Chavasit V, Porasuphatana S, Suthutvoravut U, Zeder C, Hurrell R. Iron bioavailability in 8-24-month-old Thai children from a micronutrient-fortified quick-cooking rice containing ferric ammonium citrate or a mixture of ferrous sulphate and ferric sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Matern Child Nutr. 2015;11 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):179-87. doi:10.1111/mcn.12167