preservative, color fixative INS 250

Sodium Nitrite E250

inorganic — Primarily synthetic.

🇪🇺 EU: Approved

🇺🇸 USA: Approved

🇯🇵 Japan: Approved

🇦🇺 AU/NZ: Approved

🇨🇦 Canada: Approved

Scientific Name

Sodium nitrite

CAS: 7632-00-0

Data verified: 2026-04-04

Factual Regulatory Reference

This database provides factual regulatory information compiled from official government sources. It does not constitute medical, nutritional, or safety advice. Regulatory status varies by country and is subject to change. Always refer to your local regulatory authority for the most current information.

? Did You Know?

Beyond food, Sodium Nitrite is also used in medicine, industrial applications. Its versatility makes it one of the most multi-purpose chemical compounds in everyday life.

To reach the Acceptable Daily Intake limit, a 60kg adult would need to consume approximately ~5-6 slices of bacon (15g each) in a single day. (This is a mathematical illustration, not a safety recommendation.)

Regulatory Analysis

Sodium nitrite represents the most genuine regulatory dilemma in food safety: a substance classified as contributing to IARC Group 1 carcinogenicity when present in processed meat, yet retained universally because the acute lethality of Clostridium botulinum toxin outweighs the chronic cancer risk from nitrosamine formation. No major regulatory authority has found a way to resolve this trade-off, and the 1978 US mandate to co-add ascorbic acid as a nitrosamine inhibitor represents a rare case of regulators engineering a chemical mitigation rather than choosing between approval and prohibition. The emergence of 'uncured' products using celery powder -- which delivers identical nitrate chemistry under a natural label -- further illustrates how regulatory categories can diverge from biochemical reality.

Detailed Regulatory Assessment

🇪🇺

European Union (EFSA)

approved Max: 50-150 mg/kg residual (varies by product) mg/kg

STRICTLY REGULATED; maximum residual levels enforced; often combined with ascorbic acid/erythorbate to reduce nitrosamine formation

Official EFSA Link

🇺🇸

United States (FDA)

approved Approved, regulated by USDA and FDA

Ingoing amount: typically 120-200 ppm; must be used with sodium/potassium erythorbate or ascorbate to inhibit nitrosamine formation

🇯🇵

Japan (MHLW)

approved Cat: 指定添加物

Strict limits enforced; residual limits similar to EU standards

Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)

International Standard (JECFA)

0–0.07 mg/kg bw/day (nitrite ion - group ADI with E249)

mg/kg body weight per day

European Standard (EFSA)

0.07 mg/kg bw/day (nitrite ion)

Everyday Perspective

For a 60kg adult, this limit is roughly equivalent to consuming:

~5-6 of slices of bacon (15g each)

~0.75mg per serving

~1-2 of hot dogs (50g each)

~2.5mg per serving

Natural Occurrence

This additive is not known to occur naturally in significant quantities.

Manufacturing

Method: chemical synthesis

Produced industrially by reacting nitric acid with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate, followed by neutralization and crystallization.

Applications Beyond Food

Medical

Vasodilator in some medical applications; antidote for cyanide poisoning

Industrial

Used in metal treatment, dye production, and as corrosion inhibitor

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sodium Nitrite (E250)?

Sodium Nitrite (E250) is a preservative, color fixative used in food products. It is inorganic and synthetic. THIS is what makes bacon PINK! Without it, bacon would be gray/brown. Prevents deadly botulism (Clostridium botulinum) - one of the most potent toxins known. Called 'pink salt' or 'curing salt' (Prague Powder #1) when mixed with regular salt. Has been used for meat preservation for thousands of years (before chemistry was understood). The pink color is from nitric oxide combining with myoglobin in meat. Also adds characteristic 'cured meat' flavor. Represents the classic food additive dilemma: known risks vs. known benefits - prevents acute botulism BUT linked to long-term cancer risk when forming nitrosamines.

What is the ADI for Sodium Nitrite?

The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for Sodium Nitrite is 0–0.07 mg/kg bw/day (nitrite ion - group ADI with E249) as established by JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives). ADI represents the amount that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

What foods contain Sodium Nitrite?

Sodium Nitrite is used in various food categories including Meat preparations, Meat products. It is used as a preservative, color fixative in these products.

Is Sodium Nitrite the same as Pink Salt?

Yes, Sodium Nitrite is also known as Pink Salt, Curing Salt, Prague Powder #1. These are different names for the same substance.

Primary Research & Evidence