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E538 Calcium Ferrocyanide – Food Additive

E538 (calcium ferrocyanide) is an approved food additive used as an anti-caking agent in table salt to prevent clumping and maintain free-flowing properties.

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Things worth knowing about "E538"

E538 (calcium ferrocyanide) is an approved food additive used as an anti-caking agent in table salt to prevent clumping and maintain free-flowing properties.

What is E538?

E538, chemically known as calcium ferrocyanide, is a synthetically produced food additive belonging to the group of anti-caking agents. It is primarily added to table salt and edible salt to prevent clumping caused by moisture and to maintain the free-flowing characteristics of the product. The substance is a calcium salt of ferrocyanic acid and appears as a white to pale yellow powder.

Uses and Applications

E538 is used exclusively as a technological aid in the food industry to improve the flow properties of salt and salt-containing products. Typical applications include:

Table salt and edible salt
Dietary salt and herb salt mixtures
Seasoning blends with high salt content

According to European legislation, the maximum permitted level in table salt is 20 mg/kg. On ingredient lists, the substance appears either under the name calcium ferrocyanide or as E538.

Chemical Properties and Safety

Calcium ferrocyanide belongs to the group of ferrocyanides, which are compounds that contain iron in a bound form. It is important to note that ferrocyanides are chemically stable and do not decompose into toxic cyanide (prussic acid) under normal conditions. The bond between iron and cyanide in ferrocyanides is very strong, meaning that free cyanide is not released during intended use.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has assessed ferrocyanides as food additives and classified them as safe at the approved levels of use. No specific Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) value was established, as the amounts consumed through food are considered negligibly small and pose no health risk.

Related Ferrocyanide Additives

E538 belongs to the family of ferrocyanide anti-caking agents, which includes the following approved additives:

E535 – Sodium ferrocyanide
E536 – Potassium ferrocyanide
E538 – Calcium ferrocyanide

All three are used exclusively as anti-caking agents in salt and salt-containing products and are subject to strict EU-wide quantity restrictions.

Labelling and Consumer Information

Under EU food law, E538 must be declared in the ingredient list of a product, either by its E number or by its chemical name, calcium ferrocyanide. Consumers who pay attention to food additives can check the labelling on salt packaging to determine whether an anti-caking agent is present. Alternatives without additives include untreated sea salt or rock salt, which do not contain anti-caking agents.

Regulatory Assessment

Both the EFSA and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have thoroughly examined ferrocyanides. Both bodies conclude that these compounds pose no risk to human health at the approved usage levels. The use of E538 in food is governed by EU Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008, which defines the permitted maximum amounts.

References

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): Re-evaluation of ferrocyanides (E 535-538) as food additives. EFSA Journal, 2018.
European Commission: Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives.
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA): Ferrocyanides. WHO Food Additives Series, Geneva.

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