E504 - Magnesium carbonates

At a glance

• What it is: A family of food-grade minerals that includes magnesium carbonate and basic magnesium carbonate.
• What it does: Keeps powders free-flowing, improves mixing, and can gently buffer acidity; also used as a carrier for flavors and nutrients.
• Common in: Table salt, spice blends, baking mixes, powdered beverages, cocoa powder, confectionery, and chewing gum.
• Labels you’ll see: “Magnesium carbonate,” “basic magnesium carbonate,” or “E504.”
• Dietary notes: Mineral origin; typically vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-free.
• Regulation: Authorized in the EU as E504 and listed by the U.S. FDA as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) when used under good manufacturing practice.

Why is E504 — Magnesium carbonates — added to food?

Manufacturers use magnesium carbonates to stop powders from clumping, so products pour and measure reliably. They also serve as carriers, helping small amounts of flavors, colors, or nutrients spread evenly through a mix. In the EU, E504 refers to magnesium carbonates, which include both magnesium carbonate and basic magnesium carbonate forms, defined by official additive specifications.¹

What foods contain E504?

You’re most likely to find magnesium carbonates in dry and powdered products where flow matters:

• Table salt and seasoning blends
• Baking mixes, pancake mixes, and dessert powders
• Powdered drinks and instant coffee mixes
• Cocoa powder and powdered sugar
• Chewing gum and confectionery

On ingredient lists, look for “magnesium carbonate,” “basic magnesium carbonate,” or “E504.”

What can replace E504?

Alternatives depend on the job you need done:

• Anti-caking in powders: silicon dioxide, calcium carbonates, or cellulose
• Buffering/raising functions in doughs: sodium carbonates, potassium carbonates, or ammonium carbonates

Formulators choose replacements based on taste neutrality, solubility, pH effect, and labeling goals.

How is E504 — Magnesium carbonates — made?

Food-grade magnesium carbonates are produced to meet strict identity and purity specifications in the EU, which cover both magnesium carbonate and basic magnesium carbonate.¹ Industrially, they are commonly prepared by reacting a magnesium salt (such as magnesium chloride or sulfate) with a carbonate source, or by introducing carbon dioxide to magnesium hydroxide suspensions and then drying the precipitated solids.²

E504 covers these related forms:

• Magnesium carbonate
• Basic magnesium carbonate (often labeled as magnesium hydroxide carbonate)

Is E504 — Magnesium carbonates — safe to eat?

Regulators consider magnesium carbonates safe when used as intended in foods.

• United States: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists magnesium carbonate as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice.³
• European Union: E504 is authorized as a food additive under EU law and has established identity and purity criteria.⁴¹

Magnesium from additives and supplements can have laxative effects at high intakes. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) sets an upper limit (UL) of 350 mg/day for magnesium from supplemental sources (not counting the magnesium naturally present in foods).⁵

Does E504 — Magnesium carbonates — have any benefits?

Technologically, yes: it keeps powders free-flowing and helps ingredients disperse evenly. Nutritionally, it can contribute small amounts of magnesium, but it’s not usually added in amounts that make a significant difference to your daily intake.

Who should avoid E504 — Magnesium carbonates?

• People with kidney disease should be cautious with supplemental magnesium salts, including forms like magnesium carbonate, because impaired kidneys may not clear excess magnesium well.⁵
• Anyone advised by a healthcare professional to limit magnesium supplements should check labels and consider overall magnesium intake (from supplements, antacids, and fortified foods).⁵

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Magnesium carbonate is the same as chalk.” Fact: Chalk is calcium carbonate, known in foods as calcium carbonates.
• Myth: “It’s just baking soda.” Fact: Baking soda is a sodium carbonate/bicarbonate in the sodium carbonates family, not magnesium carbonates.
• Myth: “All carbonates work the same way.” Fact: Different carbonates serve different roles—anti-caking, buffering, or leavening—depending on their chemistry and how they’re used.

E504 — Magnesium carbonates — in branded foods

You’ll see E504 on labels of many pantry staples:

• Free-flowing table salt and spice blends
• Baking and dessert mixes
• Instant beverage powders and cocoa
• Chewing gum and some candies

To spot it, scan the ingredient list for “magnesium carbonate,” “basic magnesium carbonate,” or “E504.” Related carbonates may appear nearby, such as sodium carbonates, potassium carbonates, or ammonium carbonates.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Magnesium carbonate — PubChem (NIH). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Magnesium-carbonate ↩

3. Food Additive Status List — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list ↩

4. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩

5. Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ ↩ ↩² ↩³