E-numbers / Acidity regulators / E357
also: Potassium salt of adipic acid
The potassium salt of adipic acid, used to regulate acidity and stabilise flavour in processed foods and drinks.
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Potassium adipate is the potassium salt of adipic acid, a six-carbon dicarboxylic acid that occurs naturally in small amounts in beetroot, rhubarb and other vegetables.
Potassium adipate is the potassium salt of adipic acid, a six-carbon dicarboxylic acid that occurs naturally in small amounts in beetroot, rhubarb and other vegetables. As an additive it is produced commercially, typically by neutralising adipic acid with potassium carbonate or potassium hydroxide.
It acts as a buffer, resisting changes in pH when acids or bases are added to a food product, keeping tartness and flavour consistent throughout shelf life. It can also serve as a raising agent in baked goods by reacting with bicarbonate to release carbon dioxide, and as a firming agent in gels and jellies.
Found in powdered dessert mixes, jelly-type desserts, fruit-flavoured drinks and drink powders, some baked goods, and chewing gum. On a UK label it appears as 'acidity regulator (E357)' or 'acidity regulator (potassium adipate)'.
The body handles adipic acid through normal fatty acid metabolism pathways. At the levels present in food, it is metabolised and excreted without accumulating. Because potassium adipate dissociates in solution into adipate ions and potassium ions, the relevant biological exposure is to these common metabolites rather than to the additive as a compound.
Adipic acid is rapidly metabolised by mammals via beta-oxidation and the tricarboxylic acid cycle; no accumulation was observed in standard toxicological studies at dietary exposure levels.
Potassium is an essential dietary mineral. The amounts added to food via E357 are small relative to normal dietary intake from fruit, vegetables and other sources, and would not represent a meaningful additional burden for healthy people. Very high potassium intakes are relevant only to people with kidney disease who already struggle to excrete potassium, which is why that group is flagged separately.
Adults with chronic kidney disease are advised to monitor dietary potassium intake from all sources, including potassium-containing food additives, because impaired kidneys cannot excrete excess potassium efficiently.
People with chronic kidney disease are generally advised to limit potassium intake from all dietary sources, including potassium-containing additives. If you manage kidney disease, check with your renal dietitian about processed foods carrying 'potassium adipate' or 'E357' on the label.
Potassium adipate is a well-established acidity regulator. Adipic acid itself occurs naturally in foods and is handled by ordinary metabolic pathways. There is no published toxicological or epidemiological concern about this additive at food-use levels in healthy adults, and no regulatory body has flagged a data gap or imposed a precautionary restriction. The science here is straightforward and the regulatory record is uncontroversial.
No. Potassium adipate is approved for use in the UK under the UK FSA approved-additives list and the assimilated version of EU Regulation 1333/2008.
Potassium in general requires monitoring in chronic kidney disease, because damaged kidneys struggle to excrete it. People managing kidney disease should check with their renal dietitian about all potassium-containing additives, including E357.
E357 is most commonly found in powdered dessert mixes, jelly-type desserts, fruit-flavoured drinks and drink powders, some baked goods, and chewing gum. It appears as 'acidity regulator (E357)' or 'acidity regulator (potassium adipate)' in the ingredients list.
Yes. Potassium adipate is produced synthetically from adipic acid and a potassium base. It contains no animal-derived ingredients and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
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