E508 - Potassium chloride

At a glance

Here is a quick overview of potassium chloride in food.

• What it is: a mineral salt that can replace some table salt (sodium chloride) to reduce sodium.
• Taste: salty, with a slight bitter or metallic note at higher levels.
• Where it’s found: low‑sodium soups, breads, snacks, sauces, pickles, cheese brines, and meat products.
• Label names: “potassium chloride” and, in the U.S., sometimes “potassium salt.”
• Safety: allowed in food when used according to good manufacturing practice.
• Who should be careful: people with kidney disease or on certain medicines that raise potassium.

Why is Potassium chloride added to food?

Food makers use potassium chloride to keep a salty taste while lowering sodium. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies food‑grade potassium chloride as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) when used in line with current good manufacturing practice.¹ The FDA also allows “potassium salt” as an alternate label name to help consumers recognize it as a salt replacer.²

It is also used to support texture in some gels and brines, and to supply potassium as a nutrient in certain foods.

What foods contain Potassium chloride?

You’re most likely to find it in products marketed as “reduced sodium” or “low sodium,” including:

• Breads, crackers, and breakfast cereals
• Canned or chilled soups and broths
• Processed meats (ham, deli meats, sausages) and meat alternatives
• Sauces, dressings, and condiments
• Cheeses and cheese brines, pickles, and olives
• Savory snacks and seasonings

In some gels and dairy desserts, it may be paired with gelling agents like carrageenan or sodium alginate.

What can replace Potassium chloride?

Swapping strategies depend on the food:

• Flavor-first swaps: herbs, spices, garlic/onion powders, citrus zest, acids like citric acid
• Other mineral salts: small amounts of calcium chloride or magnesium chloride in brines
• In meats and savory items: blends that include potassium lactate, umami ingredients, or yeast extracts

Most salt-reduction systems use a blend to balance taste and texture.

How is Potassium chloride made?

Potassium chloride (chemical formula KCl), also known as the mineral sylvite, is produced mainly by mining potash ores and by solution mining or evaporating brines, followed by purification and crystallization for food‑grade use.³⁴

Is Potassium chloride safe to eat?

Yes—when used properly in foods. In the U.S., potassium chloride is affirmed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) with no specific maximum level other than use in accordance with current good manufacturing practice.¹ Like table salt, very high intakes of potassium chloride from foods or supplements are not appropriate for everyone. People with reduced kidney function or those taking certain medicines can be at risk for high blood potassium (hyperkalemia).⁵

Does Potassium chloride have any benefits?

Replacing some sodium chloride with potassium chloride can help reduce sodium intake. Diets that are lower in sodium and rich in potassium are part of approaches like the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan, which supports healthy blood pressure.⁶ Potassium chloride can also contribute potassium to the diet, as shown on the Nutrition Facts label.

Who should avoid Potassium chloride?

Talk to a healthcare professional before regularly using salt substitutes that contain potassium chloride if you:

• Have kidney disease or reduced kidney function
• Take ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), or potassium‑sparing diuretics
• Are on a physician‑directed low‑potassium diet

These conditions and medicines can raise blood potassium levels.⁵

Myths & facts

• “It’s the same as table salt.” Fact: Table salt is sodium chloride; potassium chloride supplies potassium, not sodium.
• “It always tastes bitter.” Fact: At high levels it can taste bitter, but blends and flavor tools can reduce that note.
• “It’s a harsh chemical.” Fact: Potassium chloride is a naturally occurring mineral salt that is purified for food use.
• “It preserves food like nitrite.” Fact: It doesn’t act like sodium nitrite; it’s used mainly for salty taste and formulation support.

Potassium chloride in branded foods

You can spot it on ingredient lists of:

• Low‑sodium soups, sauces, and ready meals
• “Reduced sodium” breads, tortillas, and snacks
• Deli meats and meat alternatives
• Pickles, olives, and cheese brines

On U.S. labels it may appear as “potassium chloride” or “potassium salt.”²

References

Footnotes

1. 21 CFR 184.1622 — Potassium chloride. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-184/section-184.1622 ↩ ↩²

2. Guidance for Industry: Use of an Alternate Name for Potassium Chloride in Food Labeling. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-use-alternate-name-potassium-chloride-food-labeling ↩ ↩²

3. Potash — Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024. U.S. Geological Survey. https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2024/mcs2024-potash.pdf ↩

4. Potassium chloride — PubChem. National Institutes of Health. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Potassium-chloride ↩

5. Hyperkalemia. MedlinePlus, National Institutes of Health. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000215.htm ↩ ↩²

6. DASH Eating Plan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH). https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan ↩