Food additive databaseanticaking agent, processing agentChecked 2026-10-02
Ferrocyanides (limited to Potassium Ferrocyanide (Potassium Hexacyanoferrate(II)), Calcium Ferrocyanide (Calcium Hexacyanoferrate(II)), and Sodium Ferrocyanide (Sodium Hexacyanoferrate(II))) フェロシアン化物（フェロシアン化カリウム（別名ヘキサシアノ鉄（II)酸カリウム）、フェロシアン化カルシウム（別名ヘキサシアノ鉄（II)酸カルシウム）及びフェロシアン化ナトリウム（別名ヘキサシアノ鉄（II)酸ナトリウム）に限る。）
Designated additivePermitted in the EU (E535・E536・E538)EFSA ADI 0.03mg（フェロシアン化物イオンとして） per kg body weight per day
- Purpose
- anticaking agent, processing agent
- On the label
- “フェロシアン化Na” (sodium ferrocyanide), “フェロシアン化K” (potassium ferrocyanide), “フェロシアン化Ca” (calcium ferrocyanide), “フェロシアン化物（K，Na）” (ferrocyanides (K, Na)) (when two are used together)
- Name in the List of Designated Additives
- フェロシアン化物（フェロシアン化カリウム（別名ヘキサシアノ鉄（II)酸カリウム）、フェロシアン化カルシウム（別名ヘキサシアノ鉄（II)酸カルシウム）及びフェロシアン化ナトリウム（別名ヘキサシアノ鉄（II)酸ナトリウム）に限る。） (No. 356)
In Japan
- A designated additive that covers three substances together: potassium ferrocyanide, calcium ferrocyanide, and sodium ferrocyanide (alternative names are salts of hexacyanoferrate(II)). Under the standards for use, the only food in which it can be used as an anticaking agent is salt, and potassium ferrocyanide can also be used as a processing agent for wine.
- When written by substance name, the short names are “フェロシアン化Na” (sodium ferrocyanide), “フェロシアン化K” (potassium ferrocyanide), and “フェロシアン化Ca” (calcium ferrocyanide). When a potassium salt and a sodium salt are used together, it can be written as “フェロシアン化物（K，Na）” (ferrocyanides (K, Na)) (Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA), appendix to the explanation of the Food Labeling Standards).
Japan's standards for use
- As an anticaking agent (potassium, calcium, and sodium ferrocyanide): in salt, up to 0.020 g/kg as anhydrous sodium ferrocyanide
- When used in combination, the total amount used must be up to 0.020 g per kg of salt as anhydrous sodium ferrocyanide
- As a processing agent (potassium ferrocyanide): in wine, must be used so that the residue does not exceed 0.001 g per liter of wine as anhydrous potassium ferrocyanide
This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.
In the EU
- It is on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II) as E535・E536・E538.
- In the EU, sodium ferrocyanide (E535), potassium ferrocyanide (E536), and calcium ferrocyanide (E538) are each registered. They can be used in salt and salt substitutes, up to 20 mg/kg as anhydrous potassium ferrocyanide.
- In its 2018 evaluation, EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) set an ADI (acceptable daily intake) of 0.03mg（フェロシアン化物イオンとして） per kg of body weight per day (a group ADI, for the total of related substances) (EFSA ANS).
Sources
- List of Designated Additives — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
- Standards for use and storage of each additive — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
- EU food additive database (Japanese translation) — MAFF (Japanese)
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex
- EFSA OpenFoodTox (chemical hazards database)
- 消費者庁「食品表示基準について」別添 添加物関係（簡略名・用途名併記・一括名・栄養強化の範囲） (Japanese)
- EFSA ANS Panel (2018) Re-evaluation of sodium ferrocyanide (E 535), potassium ferrocyanide (E 536) and calcium ferrocyanide (E 538) as food additives (Japanese)
Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.