Preservative
E252 potassium nitrate (saltpetre): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E252 is potassium nitrate (saltpetre), a preservative. E252 comes from minerals. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E252=minerals
What is E252?
E252, potassium nitrate (saltpetre), is a preservative, an additive that makes a food keep longer by protecting it from microbes. Used in cured meats and in some hard cheeses.
What is E252 made from?
E252 comes from minerals.
- Minerals
Is E252 vegan?
Fits you. E252 comes from minerals. Nothing from an animal.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E252 have on a label?
On a label, E252 can also appear as “INS 252”, “Preservative (252)”, “Preservative (E252)”, “Potassium nitrate (saltpetre)” or “Saltpetre”.
Any of these on a pack means E252. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E252?
For E252, 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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