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E365AcidulantLow concern
Sodium Fumarate
In plain words
The short version
The sodium salt of fumaric acid — buffer in some beverages and bakery products.
Why it's green
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
Group ADI 'not specified' for fumaric acid and its salts (JECFA, 1989; maintained in 1999). Endogenous metabolite (Krebs cycle intermediate); metabolized identically to dietary fumarate.
The detail
Produced by neutralizing fumaric acid with sodium hydroxide. Less common than the free acid because fumaric acid's natural source (citrus and fungal fermentation) gives the parent acid more cleanly.
Used as a buffer in bakery products, beverages, and fortified foods where the slow acid-release behavior of fumarate is preferred over citrate or tartrate. Less common than sodium citrate but functionally similar.
White crystalline powder. Soluble in water; mildly alkaline solution.
Not on the EU list of authorised food additives (fumaric acid, E 297, is listed). In the US, sodium fumarate is permitted in food at levels not exceeding the amount reasonably required (21 CFR 172.350).
Sources
- WHO JECFA database — Sodium fumarate (INS 365) — World Health Organization / JECFA, 1989. safety: group ADI not specified for fumaric acid and its salts
- US eCFR — 21 CFR 172.350 Fumaric acid and salts of fumaric acid — U.S. Government Publishing Office / Office of the Federal Register (eCFR), 2026. regulation: permitted in the US
- EU — Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated version of 18 August 2026 (Annex II Part B list) — Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex), 2026. regulation: E 365 not on the EU list
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.