Calcium Phosphates
The short version
Calcium salts of phosphoric acid — leavening agents and a calcium fortifier, also the mineral of bones.
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
EFSA's 2019 re-evaluation of phosphate additives (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) set a group ADI of 40 mg/kg body weight per day, expressed as phosphorus, for phosphates from all sources; it noted that this ADI does not apply to people with moderate to severe reduction in kidney function. JECFA uses a group maximum tolerable daily intake (MTDI) of 70 mg/kg body weight as phosphorus from all sources. Provides both calcium and phosphorus — a beneficial nutrient contribution at typical exposure, but adds to total phosphate load relevant for chronic kidney disease patients.
Sources
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of phosphoric acid–phosphates – di-, tri- and polyphosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) as food additives and the safety of proposed extension of use (EFSA Journal 2019;17(6):5674) — European Food Safety Authority (via PubMed Central), 2019. EFSA group ADI 40 mg/kg bw/day as phosphorus, covering E 341
- JECFA database — Tricalcium phosphate, INS 341(iii) — WHO / FAO JECFA, 2026. JECFA group MTDI 70 mg/kg bw as P
- 21 CFR 182.1217 — Calcium phosphate (GRAS), eCFR as of 1 Oct 2026 — US eCFR (National Archives / GPO), 2026. US: mono-, di-, tribasic calcium phosphate GRAS under GMP
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated text (18 Aug 2026), Annex II Part E — EUR-Lex (European Union), 2026. EU maximum levels for phosphates are expressed as P2O5
Checked against these sources on .
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