My diet:

E249 Potassium nitrite

E249PreservativesOrigin: Lab-made
Get a personal answer

Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganYes
Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoYes
Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Potassium nitrite (E249) is the potassium twin of sodium nitrite. It protects cured meat from botulism and it is in the avoid band for the same reason: nitrosamines and processed meat.
Best to avoid

Controversial, restricted or banned somewhere.

E-numberE249
Comes fromLab-made
What it doesPreservatives
Glycemic index—
Daily limit0.07 mg/kg
Also calledPotassium nitrite

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved with limits
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved with limits
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved with limits
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Potassium nitrite is allowed only in cured meat, under the same kind of residual limits as sodium nitrite. The daily limit for nitrite is 0.07 mg per kg of body weight. The EU cut permitted levels again in 2023.

How much is too much? (Acceptable Daily Intake)

4.9 mgper day is the safe upper limit

Based on 0.07 mg per kg of body weight (EFSA / JECFA). A 20 kg (44 lb) child: 1.4 mg a day.

What is it?

Where a recipe needs less sodium, a producer may cure with the potassium salt instead of sodium nitrite. The chemistry in the meat is the nitrite, not the potassium.

Where it comes from: Potassium nitrite is manufactured from nitrogen compounds. In meat it does the same job as sodium nitrite: it blocks botulism and keeps the pink cured color.

Why it’s in food

  • Blocks botulism in cures
  • Fixes the pink color
  • Slows fat oxidation
  • Lowers sodium versus the sodium salt

Often found in

Cured sausagesHamBaconHot dogsCorned beef

Also listed as: Potassium nitrite

Health & gut impact

Processed meatConcern

Potassium nitrite raises the same nitrosamine question as sodium nitrite. IARC classes processed meat as carcinogenic to humans.

IARC Monograph 114 (2015)

BotulismBenefit

The reason nitrite is still allowed is practical: it is one of the few tools that reliably stops Clostridium botulinum in cured meat.

FDA 21 CFR 172.160

What can I use instead?

Sodium erythorbate alongside a lower nitrite cure

Ratio: As the cure allows

Best for: Cuts nitrosamine formation

Fresh meat

Ratio: Skip the cure

Best for: Everyday cooking

Related

More preservatives:

Benzoic acid E210Benzoic acid (E210) is the parent of sodium benzoate. It keeps acidic foods from molding. It is allowed within a daily limit, and in soft drinks with vitamin C it can form a little benzene.Use in moderationCalcium disodium EDTA (EDTA) E385Calcium disodium EDTA (E385) grabs stray metals so dressings, sodas and canned beans keep their color and flavor. Very little is absorbed, and it's safe in the small amounts allowed.Use in moderationCalcium Propionate E282Calcium propionate (E282) is the mold inhibitor in most packaged bread. It's considered safe, vegan and gluten-free, though a few small studies have raised questions about behavior in children and blood sugar.Use in moderationCelery powderCelery powder is how "uncured" bacon and hot dogs are cured. It's a natural source of nitrite, the same chemical as sodium nitrite, so "no nitrites added" meats aren't nitrite-free.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is potassium nitrite safer than sodium nitrite?

No. The nitrite is what matters for both color and nitrosamines. The potassium version is mainly a way to add less sodium.

Is Potassium nitrite safe?

Best to avoid (39/100). Potassium nitrite is allowed only in cured meat, under the same kind of residual limits as sodium nitrite. The daily limit for nitrite is 0.07 mg per kg of body weight. The EU cut permitted levels again in 2023.

Spotted a mistake on this page? Report it ›

Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • 21 CFR 172.160 (US FDA)
  • EFSA OpenFoodTox: E249
  • IARC Monograph 114 (2015)
  • FDA 21 CFR 172.160

INS 249 · CAS 7758-09-0