Food additive databaseleavening agent, pH adjusterChecked 2026-10-02
Potassium DL-Bitartrate (Potassium Hydrogen dl-Tartrate or Potassium Hydrogen DL-Tartrate) DL－酒石酸水素カリウム（別名dl－酒石酸水素カリウム又はDL－重酒石酸カリウム）
Designated additiveNot on the EU additive list
- Purpose
- leavening agent, pH adjuster
- On the label
- “膨脹剤・pH調整剤・調味料（有機酸）” (leavening agent / pH adjuster / seasoning (organic acids)) (group names), “酒石酸水素カリウム” (potassium hydrogen tartrate), “酒石酸K” (potassium tartrate, abbreviated), “重酒石酸K” (potassium bitartrate, abbreviated), “酒石酸塩（K、Na）” (tartrates (K, Na))
- Name in the List of Designated Additives
- DL－酒石酸水素カリウム（別名dl－酒石酸水素カリウム又はDL－重酒石酸カリウム） (No. 210)
In Japan
- The potassium salt (acid salt) of the DL form of tartaric acid. It falls within the group names for leavening agent, pH adjuster, and seasoning (organic acids).
- When written by substance name, the abbreviated names are “酒石酸カリウム” (potassium tartrate), “酒石酸K” (potassium tartrate, abbreviated), “重酒石酸カリウム” (potassium bitartrate), and “重酒石酸K” (potassium bitartrate, abbreviated), the same way as for the L form. When used together with sodium DL-tartrate, they can be written together as “酒石酸塩（K、Na）” (tartrates (K, Na)). No standards for use have been set.
Japan's standards for use
There are no standards for use that limit which foods or how much (the general standards for all additives still apply).
This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.
In the EU
- It is not on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II), so it cannot be used as a food additive in the EU.
- The EU permits the L(+) form as tartaric acid and tartrates (E334 to 337, E354); the DL form is not included (EFSA 2020 re-evaluation)
When it is labeled under a shared name
Potassium DL-Bitartrate (Potassium Hydrogen dl-Tartrate or Potassium Hydrogen DL-Tartrate) may be declared on the label in the same way as “膨張剤”. See Leavening agent (baking powder) for details.
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
- 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 FAF Panel (2020) Re-evaluation of l(+)-tartaric acid (E 334), sodium tartrates (E 335), potassium tartrates (E 336), potassium sodium tartrate (E 337) and calcium tartrate (E 354) 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.