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Calcium Phosphate (E341) — What You Need to Know

Generally Safe(8/10)Synthetic

The score is an eNumbers.org editorial summary, not an official agency rating or medical advice. Start with the regulatory status and primary sources below.

What Is Calcium Phosphate?

Calcium phosphate is a family of calcium salts of phosphoric acid, with tricalcium phosphate being the most common food-grade form. It is a white, odorless powder used as a multi-functional food additive providing leavening, anti-caking, and nutritional fortification properties. It is one of the primary sources of calcium and phosphorus in food fortification programs.

What Is It Used For?

Used as a leavening agent in baking, an anti-caking agent in powdered foods, and as a calcium and phosphorus supplement in fortified foods and infant formula.

Function: Leavening agent, anti-caking agent, calcium supplement, acidity regulator

Regulatory & Editorial Context

📊
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
40 mg/kg bw/day
🏛️
Regulatory Status
🇺🇸 USA (FDA): GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)
🇪🇺 EU (EFSA): Group MTDI of 40 mg/kg bw/day as phosphorus (2019 phosphate re-evaluation)
⚠️ Key Concerns

Multi-functional additive used as a leavening agent, anti-caking agent, calcium/phosphorus supplement, and acidity regulator. Provides both calcium and phosphorus, two essential nutrients. EFSA's 2019 group phosphate assessment applies, but calcium phosphate contributes less to excess phosphate intake than phosphoric acid in cola. Used in flour fortification and infant formula. Generally well-tolerated. The main concern relates to total dietary phosphate intake from all sources rather than calcium phosphate specifically.

Editorial context score

eNumbers.org currently assigns Calcium Phosphate an editorial context label of Generally Safe with a score of 8/10. This is 0.8 points below the database average for acidity regulators (8.8/10). Dataset reference year: 2019.

This score is not issued by EFSA, FDA, WHO or another regulator.

Commonly Found In

FlourBaking powderToothpasteCalcium supplementsInfant formulaPowdered foods
Example brands:
Gold Medal (flour)Nature Made (supplements)Similac (infant formula)

Always check the label for E341 or 'Calcium Phosphate'

▶Chemical Information
Formula: Ca3(PO4)2
Molecular Weight: 310.18 g/mol
CAS Number: 7758-87-4
INS Number: INS 341
Also known as: E341, INS 341, Tricalcium phosphate, Calcium orthophosphate, TCP, Bone ash

Frequently Asked Questions about Calcium Phosphate

Current dataset status: FDA — GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe); EFSA/EU — Group MTDI of 40 mg/kg bw/day as phosphorus (2019 phosphate re-evaluation). Reported concerns: Multi-functional additive used as a leavening agent, anti-caking agent, calcium/phosphorus supplement, and acidity regulator. Provides both calcium and phosphorus, two essential nutrients. EFSA's 2019 group phosphate assessment applies, but calcium phosphate contributes less to excess phosphate intake than phosphoric acid in cola. Used in flour fortification and infant formula. Generally well-tolerated. The main concern relates to total dietary phosphate intake from all sources rather than calcium phosphate specifically. Regulatory status and individual risk are not the same; check the primary sources and permitted conditions of use.

Quick Facts

E-Number
E341
INS Number
INS 341
Category
Acidity Regulators
Origin
Synthetic
FDA Status
GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)
EFSA Status
Group MTDI of 40 mg/kg bw/day as phosphorus (2019 phosphate re-evaluation)
ADI
40 mg/kg bw/day
Dataset Review
2019
Ingredient-level Dietary Notes
Vegan: ✅ YesHalal: ✅ YesKosher: ✅ YesGluten-Free: ✅ Yes

Carriers, processing aids and product certification can change suitability. Verify the final label and certifier.

Quick Links

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for health-related decisions.

Related Additives

Other acidity regulators in the same family

Phosphoric Acid (E338)Calcium Carbonate (E170)Calcium Citrate (E333)Sodium Bicarbonate (E500)