E508 - Potassium chloride

Functions: Stabiliser, Thickener, Preservative

Potassium chloride -KCl- is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water and its solutions have a salt-like taste. KCl is used as a fertilizer, in medicine, in scientific applications, and in food processing. In a few states of the United States it is used to cause cardiac arrest as the third drug in the "three drug cocktail" for executions by lethal injection. It occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite, and in combination with sodium chloride as sylvinite.The version for injection is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system. - Wikipedia

EFSA evaluation: Re‐evaluation of hydrochloric acid -E 507-, potassium chloride -E 508-, calcium chloride -E 509- and magnesium chloride -E 511- as food additives (2019/07/06)

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined that some population groups have a moderate risk of reaching or exceeding the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for E508 - Potassium chloride.

To evaluate your exposure to the E508 - Potassium chloride food additive, you can browse our list of products that contain it. See the list of products with E508 - Potassium chloride 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)