E251 - Sodium nitrate

Functions: Preservative

Sodium nitrate is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO3. This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Chile saltpeter -because large deposits of this salt can be found in Chile- to distinguish it from ordinary saltpeter, potassium nitrate. The mineral form is also known as nitratine, nitratite or soda niter. Sodium nitrate is a white solid very soluble in water. It is a readily available source of the nitrate anion -NO3−-, which is useful in several reactions carried out on industrial scales for the production of fertilizers, pyrotechnics and smoke bombs, glass and pottery enamels, food preservatives -esp. meats-, and solid rocket propellant. It has been mined extensively for these purposes. - Wikipedia

EFSA evaluation: Re‐evaluation of sodium nitrate -E 251- and potassium nitrate -E 252- as food additives (2017/06/15)

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined that some population groups have a high risk of consuming too much E251 - Sodium nitrate.

To evaluate your exposure to the E251 - Sodium nitrate food additive, you can browse our list of products that contain it. See the list of products with E251 - Sodium nitrate below.

	Infants	Toddlers	Children	Adolescents	Adults	Elderly
	< 1	1 to 2	3 to 9	10 to 17	18 to 64	65+
High risk (50% of people or more)
Moderate risk (5% of people or more)

: Risk of reaching or exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)