Calcium Chloride
The short version
A firming agent and calcium fortifier — used in cheesemaking, tofu, and canned vegetables.
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Where it comes from
A by-product of the Solvay process (sodium carbonate production) and also obtained from natural brines. One of the more abundant and inexpensive calcium salts.
How it's used
Added to milk before rennet coagulation to compensate for calcium lost in pasteurization (essential in modern cheesemaking, especially for mozzarella). Used as a coagulant for soft tofu. Firms vegetables in canning and pickling by cross-linking pectin in the cell wall. Used in sports drinks for electrolyte balance and in molecular-gastronomy spherification.
Safety profile
ADI not specified — considered safe at typical food levels. Excess intake can produce a salty-bitter off-taste and minor gastric irritation; large doses can cause nausea.
Physical & chemical properties
White crystalline powder or flakes; strongly hygroscopic. Highly soluble in water with exothermic dissolution. Hygroscopic and deliquescent in humid air.
Regulation worldwide
Permitted globally without restrictive limits — quantum satis for most food categories.
Educational information only. Not medical or dietary advice.