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Potassium nitrate

CAS 96193-83-8 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 1 other CAS number

7757-79-1

Potassium nitrate chemical structure

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Potassium nitrate in plain language

What it is

Also known as Nitre · Saltpetre · Saltpeter · Collo-Bo · E-252 · Ins NO.252

Show all 23 names

INS-252 · KNO3 · Kalii nitras · Kaliumnitrat · Niter · Nitrate de potassium · Nitrate of potash · Nitric acid potassium salt · Nitric acid potassium salt (1:1) · Potassium nitrate(DOT) · Salt peter · Un 1486 · Vicknite · nitrato de potasio · potassium nitrate ld50 (oral rat): 3750 mg/kg · potassium nitrate(5-10%) (cas #7757-79-1) · Kali nitricum

What it does

Used in cosmetics as an oral-care ingredient and a soothing agent.

  • Oral care
  • Soothing
  • Colour retention agent, preservative
  • Colourant
  • Humectant
  • Flavouring
Is it a concern?
Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 374 composition records across product categories including Specialty occupational products, Batteries, Laboratory supplies.

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Potassium nitrate appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • In marketed US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • Industrial
  • EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
    • Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinionRe-evaluation of sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
    • Re-evaluation of sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) as food additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
  • GLOBALJECFA0-3.7 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-3.7 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour retention agent, preservative.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-3.7 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour retention agent, preservative.Source →
  • GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 374 composition records across product categories including Specialty occupational products, Batteries, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Pharmaceutical, Humectant, oral care.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 374 composition records across product categories including Specialty occupational products, Batteries, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Pharmaceutical, Humectant, oral care.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 159 active drug products and 166 total products.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 159 active drug products and 166 total products.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • SCCS

    EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

    No SCCS opinion on file.

  • CIR

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)

    No CIR safety assessment on file.

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Re-evaluation of sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) as food additives (EFSA ANS)

      2017 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-3.7 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour retention agent, preservative.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

    • JECFA evaluation record.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Potassium nitrate yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

9 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated September 2021

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA National Drug Code Directory

    regulatory · updated 2030-12-31

    Open →

  • FDA GSRS UNII

    registry · updated 2026-02-26

    Open →

  • WHO JECFA Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • openFDA Substance

    registry · updated 2026-05-24

    Open →

  • PubChem Live Enrichment

    chemistry · updated 2026-05-17

    Open →
Reference links (2)
Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Potassium nitrate in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

374

Named organisations

6

Specialty occupational productsBatteriesLaboratory suppliesRaw materialsCleaning and safetyPesticides

Typical roles

Oral careSoothingColour retention agent, preservativeColourantHumectantFlavouring
See products using Potassium nitrate →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Potassium nitrate; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 90 →Find products without it →