E252 — Potassium nitrate
E252 (Potassium nitrate) appears in the ingredient lists of 23 products sold in the United States. Function: preservative.
Nutri-Score
16 rated products
Median values
| Calories | 229 kcal |
| Sugars | 0.80 g |
| Saturated fat | 4.4 g |
| Salt | 2.1 g |
Categories
Status in the United States (FDA)
Listed in the FDA inventory “Substances Added to Food”, with the regulations 21 CFR 172.160.
Technical effects listed by the FDA: antimicrobial agent, color or coloring adjunct, flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant
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 7757-79-1 via Wikidata (CC0)
Products containing it, by country
Products listing this additive in each country edition of Shelfpedia (Open Food Facts data)
Products
23 products, most viewed first.
Source: Open Food Facts export of 23 October 2026, ODbL, and USDA FoodData Central, April 2026 release, CC0 · Shelfpedia calculations (medians, distributions).