E450 - Diphosphates

At a glance

Diphosphates are versatile helpers used for texture, leavening, and freshness.

• What they are: salts of “pyrophosphate” (another word for diphosphate) combined with sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium.
• Common label names: disodium diphosphate (including sodium acid pyrophosphate, often called SAPP), trisodium diphosphate, tetrasodium diphosphate, calcium dihydrogen diphosphate, and dimagnesium diphosphate.
• E-number family: E450 with subtypes such as E450i, E450ii, E450iii, E450iv, E450v, E450vii, E450viii.
• What they do: raising agent in baking, sequestrant (binds trace metals), moisture and texture control, pH buffering, and stabilising.
• Typical foods: baking powders and mixes, tortillas, processed meats and poultry, some seafood, and dairy-based products.
• Safety: approved by regulators; in the EU, an acceptable daily intake (ADI) exists for total phosphates; people with kidney disease may need to limit phosphate additives.

Why is Diphosphates added to food?

Food makers use diphosphates for several practical reasons:

• As a leavening acid in baking powders. They react with sodium bicarbonate to release carbon dioxide gas at a controlled rate, helping doughs and batters rise evenly.¹
• As a sequestrant. By binding trace metals like iron and copper, diphosphates help protect color and flavor and support shelf-life.¹
• For texture and moisture management. In processed meats and some seafood, they help proteins hold water, improving juiciness and sliceability.¹

The exact performance depends on the subtype (for example, sodium acid pyrophosphate versus tetrasodium diphosphate) and the recipe.

What foods contain Diphosphates?

You can find E450 in:

• Baking powders, cake and pancake mixes, tortillas, and flatbreads
• Processed meats and poultry products
• Fish and seafood items
• Some dairy-based and dessert products
• Ready-to-eat meals and snacks

In the EU, diphosphates are permitted in a wide range of categories under the general food additives rules.²

What can replace Diphosphates?

Alternatives depend on the job you need done:

• Leavening acid alternatives: monocalcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, or glucono delta-lactone.
• Sequestrants or acidity control: citric acid or sodium citrates.
• Moisture/texture in meats and seafood: triphosphates or polyphosphates.
• Thickening/stabilising: xanthan gum, lecithins, or mono- and diglycerides.

How is Diphosphates made?

Manufacturers start with food-grade phosphoric acid, neutralize it with a mineral (such as sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium) to form orthophosphate salts, then heat them so two phosphate units join into a “pyrophosphate” (diphosphate). The result is a family of salts with different cations (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) and hydration states, each tuned for specific functions.³

Is Diphosphates safe to eat?

• United States: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists several diphosphates, including sodium acid pyrophosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, as permitted for uses such as leavening and sequestration in foods.¹
• European Union: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluated phosphates (E338–E341, E343, E450–E452) and set a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 40 mg per kg body weight per day, expressed as phosphorus.⁴

For most people, normal dietary intakes are considered safe. ADI means the amount that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.⁴¹

Does Diphosphates have any benefits?

Diphosphates improve recipes by making baked goods rise more reliably, keeping textures tender, and protecting color and flavor. They also contribute phosphorus, an essential mineral for bones and energy metabolism, though most people already get enough from regular foods without relying on additives.⁵

Who should avoid Diphosphates?

• People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or those told to follow a low-phosphorus diet should limit phosphorus additives, including diphosphates, because their bodies may not remove excess phosphorus well.⁶
• Young children can reach higher intakes relative to body weight; EFSA considered overall phosphate exposure when setting the ADI, so moderation and varied diets are sensible.⁴

If you need to reduce phosphorus, check ingredient lists for “phosphate,” “diphosphate,” or “pyrophosphate.”

Myths & facts

• Myth: “E-numbers are unsafe chemicals.” Fact: E-numbers are simply codes used in the EU to identify approved additives, including many that occur naturally.
• Myth: “All phosphate leaveners contain aluminum.” Fact: Many E450 diphosphates are aluminum‑free; aluminum-containing leaveners are different additives, such as sodium aluminum phosphate.
• Myth: “Phosphate additives are only in soft drinks.” Fact: They are used across baked goods, meats, seafood, and dairy-style products, not just beverages.

Diphosphates in branded foods

On ingredient lists, look for names like disodium diphosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), trisodium diphosphate, tetrasodium diphosphate, calcium dihydrogen diphosphate, or dimagnesium diphosphate. You’ll most often see them in baking powders and mixes, tortillas, sliced or formed meats and poultry, some fish and seafood items, processed cheeses, and ready meals.

References

Footnotes

1. Food Additive Status List — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (Annex II permitted uses) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩

4. Re-evaluation of phosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) as food additives — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5674 ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. Phosphorus Fact Sheet — National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Phosphorus-Consumer/ ↩

6. Phosphorus in diet — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002424.htm ↩