Back to catalogSafety
E511AcidulantLow concern
Magnesium Chloride
In plain words
The short version
The traditional 'nigari' tofu coagulant — sets soy milk into tofu and adds a slightly sweet note.
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
No ADI specified. Poorly absorbed in excess; tastes bitter.
The detail
A magnesium salt from seawater or brine — the main component of traditional Japanese 'nigari'.
The traditional tofu coagulant that sets soy milk into silken or firm tofu with a slightly sweet flavour. Also a firming agent and magnesium source.
White deliquescent crystals, very water-soluble, bitter.
Permitted in the EU, the US (GRAS), and globally.
Sources
- JECFA database — Magnesium chloride (INS 511) — WHO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 1979. No numerical ADI (ADI 'not limited', the older term for 'not specified')
- 21 CFR 184.1426 — Magnesium chloride — US eCFR (FDA). US: affirmed GRAS, no limit other than good manufacturing practice
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 — Union list of food additives, Annex II Part C Group I — Publications Office of the EU (Official Journal), 2011. EU: Group I additive at quantum satis
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.