Phosphates in food: what EFSA calculated and where to find them on the label
In 2019 EFSA re-evaluated phosphoric acid and its salts, E 338–341, E 343 and E 450–452, and set an acceptable daily intake of 40 mg of phosphorus per kilogram of body weight, which is 2,800 mg a day for a person weighing 70 kg. The agency named no excess for adults, and named one for children and adolescents. The limit does not apply to people with moderate to severe loss of kidney function. Phosphates are written in ingredient lists in several ways, and the word “phosphate” may not appear in the line.
What EFSA set
The scientific opinion EFSA Journal 2019;17(6):5674 covers phosphoric acid and its salts, E 338–341, E 343 and E 450–452. What it says:
| Question | What the opinion records |
|---|---|
| Acceptable dose | A group ADI of 40 mg phosphorus per kg body weight per day. For a 70 kg adult that is 2,800 mg a day |
| What it includes | Phosphorus from natural sources and from additives together. For that reason intake was calculated from analyses of total phosphorus in foods |
| Where it is exceeded | In infants from 12 weeks to 11 months, toddlers and children at the mean and at high intake, and in adolescents at high intake (95th percentile). Adults are not on that list |
| Share from additives | For all groups except infants, additives contribute roughly 6 to 21% of mean total phosphorus intake; for infants from 12 weeks to 11 months, 12 to 30% |
| Kidneys | The dose does not apply to people with moderate to severe reduction in kidney function. EFSA estimates that 10% of the general population might have chronic kidney disease with reduced function |
| Infant formula | For infants under 16 weeks on formula and foods for special medical purposes the agency found no safety concern |
The earlier benchmark was different: the FAO/WHO expert committee on additives (JECFA) set a maximum tolerable daily intake of 70 mg per kg for all phosphates together, natural and added. EFSA derived its own figure from the toxicity of phosphorus, with calcium phosphate deposits in the kidney as the main effect.
Two more points from the opinion. EFSA also estimated phosphate intake from food supplements, among people who take them, above the acceptable dose. And the total phosphorus content of foods, natural and added, does not have to be shown on labels in the EU.
How phosphorus from an additive differs from phosphorus in food
Phosphorus is needed by the body, and ordinary food has plenty of it. Adults need 700 mg a day (NIH fact sheet). The substance is the same; what differs is how well it is absorbed.
| Source of phosphorus | Absorbed | Where the estimate comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Animal foods | 40–60% | KDIGO, 2017 |
| Plant foods (phytates in seeds and legumes) | 20–50% | KDIGO, 2017 |
| Additives: phosphoric acid and phosphates | about 70% | NIH |
| Additives: the same substances | 80–90% | EFSA, 2019 |
| Additives: the same substances | “almost completely” | KDIGO, 2017 |
The estimates for additives differ, and they all point the same way: more is absorbed from an additive than from meat, milk or beans. NIH gives two more figures: foods with phosphate additives contain on average 67 mg more phosphorus per serving than similar foods without them, and additives supply 300 to 1,000 mg of phosphorus a day, or 10–50% of total intake in Western countries. EFSA’s calculation for the EU puts the share lower, at 6–21%.
Where phosphates turn up in food
In the EFSA assessment based on use levels reported by manufacturers, the largest contributions came from bread and rolls and fine bakery wares, then meat products (for children and adults), and for toddlers also processed cheese. Bakery is on that list for a reason: phosphates act as raising agents. What phosphates do in sausage, cheese and soda is covered in the article on phosphates in food.
Under Eurasian regulation TR CU 029/2012 (annex 2) the same substance can have several roles:
| Code | Name | Functions in the regulation |
|---|---|---|
| E 338 | orthophosphoric acid | acidity regulator, antioxidant |
| E 339 | sodium phosphates | acidity regulator, emulsifier, humectant, stabiliser, emulsifying salt |
| E 340 | potassium phosphates | the same |
| E 341 | calcium phosphates | acidity regulator, flour treatment agent, stabiliser, raising agent, anti-caking agent, humectant, emulsifying salt, carrier |
| E 343 | magnesium phosphates | acidity regulator, anti-caking agent |
| E 450 | diphosphates | emulsifier, stabiliser, acidity regulator, raising agent, humectant |
| E 451 | triphosphates | acidity regulator |
| E 452 | polyphosphates | emulsifier, stabiliser, humectant |
The table follows the text of the regulation. The regulation defines an emulsifying salt as an additive for distributing fats and proteins evenly and for improving the plasticity of processed cheese.
How to see a phosphate in the ingredients
In the EU, Annex VII, Part C of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires an additive in one of the listed categories to be named by its category followed by its specific name or, if appropriate, its E number. The Eurasian rule, TR CU 022/2011 (part 4.4, point 6), is similar: function plus name, and the name may be replaced by the E index. So any of these forms is possible:
- “acidity regulator E 450” or “acidity regulator (diphosphates)”;
- “emulsifying salts: sodium phosphates”, “stabiliser E 452”, “raising agent E 341”;
- “orthophosphoric acid” or “E 338”.
The words “stabiliser”, “emulsifier” and “acidity regulator” fit other additives too, so look in the line for the name of the substance (phosphate, diphosphate, pyrophosphate, triphosphate, polyphosphate, phosphoric acid) or a code from the table. Components making up 2% or less of a product may be listed in any order after the others in the Eurasian rule, so an additive can end up at the end of the line. How additives are written in general is covered in the article on how additives are hidden, and how it looks in sausage in the article on sausage composition.
The ingredient list does not tell you how much phosphorus a product contains: the amount is not given. You can only tell whether an additive is present. In the United States, according to NIH, the FDA does not require labels to list phosphorus unless phosphorus has been added to the food.
When the dose is a doctor’s decision
The kidneys remove excess phosphorus. In chronic kidney disease that mechanism weakens and blood phosphorus rises. The KDIGO 2017 guideline (point 4.1.8), for stages G3a to G5D, suggests limiting dietary phosphate and reasonably considering its source: animal, vegetable or additives.
In a randomized trial by Fornasari and Sens (Journal of Renal Nutrition, 2017), 134 patients on hemodialysis took part. One group was taught to replace foods with phosphate additives by similar foods without them. After 90 days blood phosphorus in that group fell from 7.2 to 5.0 mg/dL, against 7.1 to 6.7 mg/dL in the control group.
That result is for people on dialysis, and their nutrition is decided by a nephrologist. The NIH fact sheet adds another side: when phosphorus is restricted, protein is easy to cut by accident, because fish, meat and legumes are rich in both. People with kidney disease should not change their diet on their own from the tables above: the plan is set by a doctor from blood tests. Questions about a child’s diet go to a pediatrician.
The figures from EFSA, NIH and KDIGO are given as of 6 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- What daily dose of phosphates did EFSA set?
- A group acceptable daily intake of 40 mg phosphorus per kilogram of body weight per day (EFSA Journal 2019;17(6):5674). For a 70 kg adult that is 2,800 mg a day. It covers phosphorus from natural sources and additives together.
- Do children exceed this dose?
- In EFSA’s calculation from analyses of total phosphorus in foods, yes: infants from 12 weeks to 11 months, toddlers and children at the mean, and adolescents at high intake. No excess is named for adults.
- Which E numbers are phosphates?
- E 338 orthophosphoric acid, E 339 sodium phosphates, E 340 potassium phosphates, E 341 calcium phosphates, E 343 magnesium phosphates, E 450 diphosphates, E 451 triphosphates, E 452 polyphosphates. This is the group EFSA re-evaluated.
- Is phosphorus from additives absorbed better than phosphorus from food?
- Yes, by three sources. NIH gives about 70% for additives and 40–70% for natural phosphorus, EFSA 80–90% for additives, KDIGO 40–60% for animal foods and 20–50% for plant foods, with additives absorbed almost completely.
- Who needs to watch phosphates in food?
- People with chronic kidney disease. EFSA explicitly excludes them from the acceptable dose, and KDIGO suggests considering the source of phosphate. A nephrologist sets restrictions from blood tests; people do not change their diet on their own.
Read next
- Phosphates: why they are in sausage, cottage cheese, and soda — Phosphorus is an essential element: it is a component of bones, cell membranes, and molecules that transport energy.
- How manufacturers hide additives in the ingredient list — A short ingredient list sells better than a long one, and manufacturers know it.
- How the composition of sausage has changed and what to look for in it now — Sausage is the most convenient product for analyzing how recipes change: the changes are documented by percentages right on the packaging.
- E-numbers in ingredients: how the code is structured and what it means — An ingredient list contains E330, and it is impossible to tell from this code whether it is citric acid or something better to avoid.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.