E251 — Sodium nitrate

Status in the United States (FDA)

Listed in the FDA inventory “Substances Added to Food”, with the regulations 21 CFR 172.170, 172.175, 173.310.

Technical effects listed by the FDA: antimicrobial agent, color or coloring adjunct, flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant, propellant

The inventory is a partial list, and a listing is not an FDA approval of every use; the regulations set the permitted uses.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Substances Added to Food (updated 9/8/2026), public domain · CAS 7631-99-4 via Wikidata (CC0)