E357 - Potassium adipate

At a glance

• Role: acidity regulator and buffer
• Typical in: beverages, gelatin desserts, fruit preparations, and low‑sodium recipes
• Label names: “potassium adipate” or “E357”
• EU status: permitted with purity criteria

Why is potassium adipate added to food?

Food makers use potassium adipate to adjust and stabilize acidity (pH). A steady pH protects flavor, helps gels set, and can support shelf life in some products. In the EU, it is an authorized food additive in the “acidity regulators” group, with rules on where and how much may be used.¹ It must meet detailed identity and purity specifications before use.²

What foods contain potassium adipate?

You are most likely to see potassium adipate in:

• Soft drinks and flavored waters
• Gelatin desserts and dessert gels
• Fruit fillings, jams, and pie gels
• Confectionery and chewing gum
• Low‑sodium or reduced‑sodium foods that favor potassium salts

Labels may list “potassium adipate” or “E357” in EU markets.

What can replace potassium adipate?

Depending on the recipe and pH target, common stand‑ins include:

• Other food acids: citric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid
• Buffer salts: sodium citrates, potassium citrates
• Slow‑release acid: glucono‑delta‑lactone
• The parent acid: adipic acid

Which substitute works best depends on taste, pH, and texture needs.

How is potassium adipate made?

Potassium adipate is the potassium salt of adipic acid (also called hexanedioic acid). In practice, manufacturers neutralize food‑grade adipic acid with a potassium base (such as potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate) and then purify the resulting salt to meet specification. EU specifications define the additive’s identity and purity limits.²

Is potassium adipate safe to eat?

Within the EU, potassium adipate is permitted as a food additive, which means it has undergone a safety evaluation and is allowed only under defined conditions.¹ Products must also meet strict purity criteria set out in additive specifications before they can be placed on the market.² When used as authorized, it is considered acceptable by regulators.

Does potassium adipate have any benefits?

Potassium adipate does not add nutrition or sweetness. Its benefit is technological: it fine‑tunes acidity, supports consistent flavor, and can help gels set properly in desserts and fruit systems.

Who should avoid potassium adipate?

• People on potassium‑restricted diets (for example, some individuals with kidney disease) may prefer to limit foods with potassium salts, including potassium adipate. Ask a healthcare professional for advice.
• Anyone with a known sensitivity to acidity regulators should read labels and choose alternatives.
• For infants and toddlers, it is generally wise to limit processed foods with multiple additives unless advised by a healthcare professional.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Potassium adipate is the same as fat.” Fact: Despite the name, it is unrelated to body fat; it’s a salt of adipic acid, a simple dicarboxylic acid.
• Myth: “It’s a sweetener.” Fact: It doesn’t sweeten; it adjusts acidity and helps with texture and stability.
• Myth: “If it has an E‑number, it’s unsafe.” Fact: E‑numbers indicate approval in the EU with defined uses and purity criteria.¹²

Potassium adipate in branded foods

On ingredient lists, look for “potassium adipate” or “E357,” especially on EU‑market labels. The European Commission’s additive database shows how additives like E357 are categorized and labeled across food types.³ Availability and usage can vary by country and product style.

References

Footnotes

1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333 ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 — Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. EU Food Additives Database — European Commission. https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/food-improvement-agents/additives/database_en ↩