Preservative
E249 (potassium nitrite): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E249 is potassium nitrite, a preservative. E249 can come from a lab or minerals. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E249=a lab or minerals
What is E249?
E249 (potassium nitrite) is a preservative, an additive that makes a food keep longer by protecting it from microbes. Mostly used in cured and processed meats.
What is E249 made from?
E249 can come from a lab or minerals.
- Made in a lab
- Minerals
Is E249 vegan?
Fits you. E249 can come from a lab or minerals. Nothing from an animal.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E249 have on a label?
On a label, E249 can also appear as “INS 249”, “Preservative (249)”, “Preservative (E249)” or “Potassium nitrite”.
Any of these on a pack means E249. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E249?
For E249, only the ingredient list itself: a code the camera cannot read gets Needs one more scan, and the app never guesses a code it cannot see.
Sources: EU, US and Codex additive rules
Where additives are listed and approved. Bravoora reads the source and the diet; it does not rate the hazard.
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
- EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
- US FDA: Food Additive Status List
- FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online
Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).
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