E514 – Sodium sulphates | Sodium sulfate vs sodium bisulfate safety and uses

Quick analysis summary about E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive

Bottom line about E514

E514 covers two related salts: E514(i) sodium sulphate and E514(ii) sodium hydrogen sulphate. At normal food-use levels they fit a GREEN – SAFE grade overall, because the main realistic problem is gastrointestinal upset at high intake, not a recurring toxicity signal from typical dietary exposure.[1-5]

Why this grade for E514

EFSA and JECFA assessed these salts mainly through their dissociation to sodium, hydrogen and sulphate ions, and did not identify a cancer, genotoxicity, or reproductive warning signal relevant to normal food use. The best-supported effect at high oral exposure is osmotic laxation or looser stools.[1,2,5,6]

Who may want to limit or avoid E514

People with a very sensitive gut, frequent loose stools, or irritation from highly acidic foods may prefer to keep intake lower. People told to watch total sodium or mineral intake for medical reasons may also want to look at overall diet, not just this additive.[3-5]

Common uses and where E514 appears

E514 is used as an acidity regulator, pH-control agent, and processing aid. It may appear in bakery mixes, processed cheese products, sauces, soups, confectionery, flavoured drinks, and similar processed foods.[1,2]

E514 source or origin

E514 salts are inorganic mineral-type compounds. Sodium sulphate occurs naturally in mineral deposits and can also be made industrially, while sodium hydrogen sulphate is usually produced from sulphuric acid and sodium salts.

Intake note for E514

EFSA and JECFA allocated a group ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) of “not specified” for sulphuric acid and its sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium salts. EFSA noted that even high-end estimated exposure was far below the roughly 300 mg/kg body weight dose associated with laxative effects in humans.[1,2]

Is E514 banned anywhere?

E514 remains approved in the European Union and is also listed among approved additives in the United Kingdom. In the United States, sodium sulfate appears on FDA food-substance listings and sodium bisulfate has an FDA no-questions GRAS notice for pH-control and processing-aid uses. No clear major food-use ban was identified in the reviewed jurisdictions, although exact permitted uses vary by market.

Safety grading GREEN – SAFE

E514 is graded GREEN – SAFE because both sodium sulphate and sodium hydrogen sulphate have low overall toxicity at normal food-use levels. The best-supported adverse effect is mainly laxative or stomach-upset effects at higher intake, not a clear chronic toxicity pattern from typical dietary exposure.[1,2,5,6]

Study basis or key toxicological reasoning for E514

EFSA’s 2019 re-evaluation concluded that sulphates are of low acute toxicity, that there is no concern for genotoxicity or carcinogenicity, and that high-percentile exposure in toddlers was still well below the approximate 300 mg/kg body weight dose linked to laxative effects in humans.[1] JECFA also assigned sodium hydrogen sulphate an ADI “not specified”; in the direct acute study available for E514(ii), the oral LD50 in rats was 2800 mg/kg body weight in males and above 2500 mg/kg body weight in females.[2] In controlled human work, adults given sodium sulphate in drinking water up to 1200 mg/L for several days showed at most a small increase in stool mass or faster transit, without clear diarrhoea in the healthy volunteers studied.[3,5] A human pharmacokinetic study found that orally administered sodium sulfate was significantly absorbed and generally tolerated when given in divided doses.[4] Rat gavage studies summarized in a later safety assessment found no abnormal reproductive or developmental findings up to 1000 mg/kg body weight per day, apart from soft faeces at high dose, and genotoxicity tests were negative.[6] The main caveat is that direct long-term published studies on E514(ii) itself are limited, so part of the reassurance for that subtype is indirect and based on dissociation chemistry plus broader sulphate toxicology.[1,2]

Side effects of E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive

Loose stools or mild diarrhoea: high sulphate intake can pull water into the bowel and loosen stools.[3,5]
Stomach discomfort or cramping: the same osmotic effect can cause transient abdominal discomfort in sensitive people.[3,5]
Possible irritation from acidic products: E514(ii) is the acidic subtype, so concentrated or poorly diluted use would be more irritating, although normal food uses are much milder.[2]
Usually an intake-related effect: the main concern is excess exposure causing laxative-type effects, not a clear chronic toxicity pattern at realistic food-use levels.[1,5,6]

Should You Avoid E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive?

Most people do not need to avoid E514 in ordinary foods. A more practical reason to limit it is personal tolerance: some people with sensitive digestion may feel worse with heavily processed foods that combine acidity regulators and salts. People with medically restricted sodium intake or major kidney problems may also want to review total mineral intake with a clinician, although that is a broader diet issue rather than evidence that E514 is broadly unsafe.[1,3-5]

Common uses of E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive

Acidity regulation in some processed foods and beverages
pH control in bakery mixes and processed products
Leavening-related or processing uses, especially for E514(ii)
Processed cheese and cheese-like products
Sauces, soups, confectionery, and flavoured drinks

Common names and synonyms of E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive

Sodium sulphates
Sodium sulfates
E514
E514(i) sodium sulphate
E514(ii) sodium hydrogen sulphate
Sodium sulfate
Sodium hydrogen sulfate
Sodium bisulfate
Glauber’s salt

What is E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive?

E514 is the E-number for two inorganic salts of sulphuric acid: E514(i) sodium sulphate and E514(ii) sodium hydrogen sulphate. The first is the neutral sodium salt, while the second is the more acidic form. In foods they are used mainly to regulate acidity, control pH, or support processing functions.

These are simple ionic compounds that dissociate in water, so safety assessment focuses on the body’s handling of sulphate and sodium rather than on a complex additive-specific mechanism. The best-known high-dose effect is osmotic laxation, and E514(ii) can be more locally irritating before dilution because it is acidic.[1-5]

Where is E514 – Sodium sulphates food additive allowed (EU vs US)?

In the EU, E514 sodium sulphates are on the Union list of approved food additives. In the US, sodium sulfate appears on FDA food-substance listings, and sodium bisulfate has an FDA no-questions GRAS notice for pH-control and processing-aid uses under good manufacturing practice.

E514 – Sodium sulphates