E252Preservative
Potassium nitrate
What the research shows
Not enough
published research on this page yet
What expert reviews concluded
Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them. IARC rates whether something can cause cancer at all, not how likely it is at the amounts in food.
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UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1995
Acceptable daily intake: up to 3.7 mg per kg of body weight.
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WHO cancer agency (IARC), 2006
For nitrate or nitrite eaten under conditions that form nitroso compounds in the body: probably causes cancer in people (Group 2A).
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 172.160
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European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Preservatives
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 685 products on Open Food Facts that list potassium nitrate.
- Viande des GRISONS Aoste · 70 g (10 tranches) 3 additives
- Jambon fumé de la forêt noire Schwarzwälder Schinken Dulano Selection · 200 g 2 additives
- Stromboli CROSTA MOLLICA 3 additives
- Wiltshire Cured Ham Tesco Finest · 120 g 2 additives
- Charlie Bingham Lasagne Charlie Bigham's · 690 g 4 additives
- Unsmoked Rashers Jolly hog 2 additives
References
- 1Potassium nitrate: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
- 2Potassium nitrate. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.