Phosphoric Acid

(in 2,530 products)

1. Antioxidant - Reduces oxidation to prevent the formation of free radicals which may be harmful to health.

2. Binder / Stabilizer - Retains the physical characteristics of food/cosmetics and ensure the mixture remains in an even state.

Phosphoric Acid is colorless, odorless inorganic acid. Phosphoric acid is a sequestering agent that binds many divalent cations, including Fe++, Cu++, Ca++, and Mg++. Phosphoric acid is used in dentistry and orthodontics as an etching solution, to clean and roughen the surfaces of teeth where dental appliances or fillings will be placed. In addition, phosphoric acid is a constituent in bone and teeth and plays a role in many metabolic processes.

Fertilizers are the dominant use of phosphoric acid. Other far smaller but still significant uses include food additive, cleaning products, and water treatment. As a food additive (E number 338), phosphoric acid is used to acidify foods and beverages such as various colas and jams. It provides a tangy or sour taste. Various salts of phosphoric acids, such as monocalcium phosphate, are used as leavening agents. Phosphoric acid in soft drinks has the potential to cause dental erosion. [1]

It is approved to use as food additive in EU and generally recognized as safe food substance in US.

1. PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1004

1. US FDA Food Additives Status List [2018]

- Phosphoric acid

2. EU Approved Food Additive [2018]

- E338

3. Japan’s List of Designated Food Additives under Article 10 of the Food Sanitation Act

- Phosphoric Acid

4. US FDA Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) (21 CFR 182) [2017]

- § 182.1073 - Phosphoric acid