Comparing E260 - Acetic acid vs E261 - Potassium acetate

Overview

E260 - Acetic acid

Acetic acid (E260) is the sharp-tasting organic acid that gives vinegar its sour flavor and smell. In food, it is used mainly to acidify and preserve products like pickles and sauces, and it appears on labels as acetic acid, E260, or vinegar. Regulators in the U.S. and EU consider it safe when used as intended.

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E261 - Potassium acetate

Potassium acetate (E261) is a food additive used to control acidity and help preserve foods. It is the potassium salt of acetic acid, the acid that gives vinegar its sharp taste. You’ll mostly see it in pickled or seasoned foods where a stable, mild acidity is needed.

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Synonyms
E260
Acetic acid
ethanoic acid
E261
Potassium acetate
Functions
acidity regulatorpreservative
acidity regulatorpreservative
Origins
Microbiological
Synthetic
Microbiological
Synthetic
Products

Found in 3,047 products

Found in 293 products

Search rank & volume
#2987.5K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#1647.1K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×4.19
over-aware

×3.50
over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

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Popular questions

  1. Is acetic acid a strong acid?

    No—acetic acid (E260) is a weak acid in water (pKa ≈ 4.76), though concentrated (glacial) acetic acid is corrosive.

  2. Is vinegar acetic acid?

    Vinegar is a solution of acetic acid in water (typically about 4–8% acetic acid by volume), not pure acetic acid.

  3. What is acetic acid used for?

    In foods, E260 is used as an acidity regulator, preservative, and flavoring (e.g., pickling, sauces); industrially it’s a precursor to vinyl acetate and cellulose acetate and is used in descaling/cleaning.

  4. Which statement describes the acid found in vinegar acetic acid?

    It is a weak organic acid (ethanoic acid, CH3COOH) that gives vinegar its sour taste and antimicrobial effect; food-grade vinegar contains at least about 4% acetic acid by volume.

  5. Is acetic acid polar?

    Yes—acetic acid is a polar, hydrogen-bonding (protic) molecule due to its carboxyl group, and it mixes well with water and many polar solvents.

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  1. Is potassium acetate soluble?

    Yes—potassium acetate is highly soluble; it dissolves readily in water and is also soluble in alcohols.

  2. Is potassium acetate soluble in water?

    Yes; it is very soluble in water at room temperature.

  3. What does potassium acetate do in dna extraction?

    In DNA extraction (e.g., alkaline lysis), potassium acetate with acetic acid neutralizes the lysate and precipitates SDS–protein–lipid complexes and denatured chromosomal DNA, leaving plasmid DNA in solution.

  4. What is potassium acetate used for?

    As a food additive (E261), it’s used as a preservative and acidity regulator/buffering agent to inhibit microbial growth and help control pH. It is also used outside foods for runway de-icing and as a lab reagent.

  5. What is the formula for potassium acetate?

    CH3COOK (also written as KC2H3O2 or KCH3COO).

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