Open Food Facts gathers information and data on food products from around the world.

Sign in

Sign-in to add or edit products.

Not registered yet? Create your account.
Forgotten password?

Add a product

Donate to support our work

Donate to Open Food Facts

Open Food Facts is made by a non-profit association, independent from the industry. It is made for all, by all, and it is funded by all. You can support our work by donating to Open Food Facts and also by using the Lilo search engine.
Thank you!

E338 - Phosphoric acid

Additive : E338 - Phosphoric acid

Functions: Antioxidant, Sequestrant

Phosphoric acid -also known as orthophosphoric acid or phosphoricV acid- is a weak acid with the chemical formula H3PO4. Orthophosphoric acid refers to phosphoric acid, which is the IUPAC name for this compound. The prefix ortho- is used to distinguish the acid from related phosphoric acids, called polyphosphoric acids. Orthophosphoric acid is a non-toxic acid, which, when pure, is a solid at room temperature and pressure. The conjugate base of phosphoric acid is the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO−4, which in turn has a conjugate base of hydrogen phosphate, HPO2−4, which has a conjugate base of phosphate, PO3−4. Phosphates are essential for life.The most common source of phosphoric acid is an 85% aqueous solution; such solutions are colourless, odourless, and non-volatile. The 85% solution is a syrupy liquid, but still pourable. Although phosphoric acid does not meet the strict definition of a strong acid, the 85% solution is acidic enough to be corrosive. Because of the high percentage of phosphoric acid in this reagent, at least some of the orthophosphoric acid is condensed into polyphosphoric acids; for the sake of labeling and simplicity, the 85% represents H3PO4 as if it were all in the ortho form. Dilute aqueous solutions of phosphoric acid exist in the ortho form. - Wikipedia

Risk of overexposure

EFSA evaluation: Re‐evaluation of phosphoric acid–phosphates – di‐, tri‐ and polyphosphates -E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452- as food additives and the safety of proposed extension of use (2019/06/12)

High risk of over exposure
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined that some population groups have a high risk of consuming too much E338 - Phosphoric acid.

To evaluate your exposure to the E338 - Phosphoric acid food additive, you can browse our list of products that contain it. See the list of products with E338 - Phosphoric acid below.

  InfantsToddlersChildrenAdolescentsAdultsElderly
  < 11 to 23 to 910 to 1718 to 6465+
Most people
(over 50%)		Groups with more than 50% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)Groups with more than 50% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)Groups with more than 50% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)   
Some people
(over 5%)		Groups with more than 5% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)Groups with more than 5% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)Groups with more than 5% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)Groups with more than 5% of members exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI)  

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

Names: Acide orthophosphorique, acide phosphorique, Sels de potassium de l'acide phosphorique, sels de potassium de E338, Phosphate d'hydrogène, Acide monophosphorique

5,405 products