E-numbers / Other additives / E381
also: Ammonium ferric citrate · Ammonium iron(III) citrate · Iron ammonium citrate
An iron-and-citrate compound used to add iron to foods such as salt and infant formula, and to prevent salt from clumping.
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Carbonated Water, Sugar, Acid (Citric Acid), Flavourings (including Ammonium Ferric Citrate & Quinine), Preservative (E211), Foaming Agent (Quillaia Extract), Colours (Sunset Yellow FCF, Ponceau 4R)
This is not a permitted food additive in the UK, so you will not normally find it on a UK label.
36
of the 43,325 UK supermarket foods we checked declare E381 in their ingredients
That is under 0.1%, counted by its code or its name.
Counted by NutraSafe from UK supermarket ingredient lists, September 2026. How we counted
Why it’s worth knowing. This is not a permitted food additive in the UK, so you will not normally find it on a UK label.
Ferric ammonium citrate is a complex formed from iron (in its ferric, or Fe3+, form), ammonium ions, and citric acid. It exists in two forms: a reddish-brown powder and a green powder, both highly soluble in water. The brown form has a higher iron content. It is sometimes listed simply as ammonium ferric citrate.
It serves two distinct functions in food. First, as an iron-fortification agent: the iron it carries is bioavailable and can be absorbed through the gut, raising the iron content of a food to a declared level. Second, as an anti-caking agent in salt: the compound coats salt crystals and prevents them from absorbing moisture and sticking together.
Found in iodised and fortified table salts, some infant formulas, and iron-fortified food supplements. In the UK it has historically been permitted for iron enrichment of salt products. On a UK label it appears as 'ferric ammonium citrate' or 'ammonium ferric citrate' or as 'E381'.
Iron is an essential mineral required for haemoglobin production and oxygen transport in the blood. Ferric ammonium citrate is one of several iron salts used in food fortification. The citrate ligand improves solubility compared with simpler iron salts, aiding absorption. The ammonium component is metabolised and excreted normally; citric acid is a normal intermediate in cellular energy metabolism.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide; fortification of staple foods with bioavailable iron compounds is a recognised public-health intervention.
The JECFA committee evaluated ammonium ferric citrate and set a group acceptable daily intake of up to 0.8 mg/kg body weight for soluble iron compounds used as food additives.
At the levels used in food fortification, dietary iron from this compound does not present a concern for most people. Excessive iron from supplements (far above fortification doses) can cause gastrointestinal effects and, in people with haemochromatosis, iron overload. The doses from food-grade use of E381 are well below the levels associated with these effects.
The UK SACN tolerable upper intake level for iron is 17 mg per day for adults; food fortification with iron compounds contributes a small fraction of this, well below the threshold for adverse effects in the general population.
Individuals with hereditary haemochromatosis absorb dietary iron at elevated rates and are advised to limit high-iron foods and supplements, including fortified products.
People diagnosed with hereditary haemochromatosis or other iron-overload conditions are typically advised to limit all sources of supplemental iron, including foods fortified with iron compounds. Check ingredient lists for 'ferric ammonium citrate', 'ammonium ferric citrate', or 'E381' on fortified salts and supplements.
Ferric ammonium citrate is a straightforward iron salt with a long history of use in food fortification and as a salt anti-caking agent. The scientific record for this compound at food-use levels is unremarkable: iron is a required nutrient, citric acid is a normal metabolite, and ammonium is handled routinely by the body. The only population for whom dietary iron fortification requires attention is people with iron-overload conditions, and that applies to all iron-containing foods and supplements, not this compound specifically.
No. Ferric ammonium citrate is an approved food additive in the UK under the assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008. It is permitted as an anti-caking agent in salt and as an iron source in food supplements and infant formula.
In some countries, including the UK and Denmark, table salt has been used as a vehicle for iron fortification to address iron deficiency in the population. Ferric ammonium citrate is soluble and stable in salt, making it a practical iron compound for this purpose. Not all table salts are fortified.
Fortified or iodised table salts (not all brands), some infant formulas, and iron dietary supplements. It is not a widely used additive in mainstream processed foods.
Yes. Ferric ammonium citrate is a mineral salt with no animal-derived ingredients. It is suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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