{
  "$schema": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/api/v1/schema.json",
  "id": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/sodium-nitrite",
  "slug": "sodium-nitrite",
  "name": "Sodium nitrite",
  "identifiers": {
    "e_number": "E250",
    "ins_number": "250",
    "cas_number": "7632-00-0",
    "inchikey": "LPXPTNMVRIOKMN-UHFFFAOYSA-M",
    "pubchem_cid": 23668193
  },
  "functional_class": "Preservative",
  "summary": "Sodium nitrite is a curing agent for meat, giving cured products their pink colour and characteristic flavour while suppressing Clostridium botulinum. It is used in bacon, ham, hot dogs and many preserved sausages.",
  "derivation_summary": "Manufactured industrially by absorbing nitrogen oxides, produced from ammonia, into sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide solution. Curing salts sold to processors are usually a dilute mixture of sodium nitrite in ordinary salt, dyed pink so it cannot be mistaken for it. No animal material is involved.",
  "regulatory_status": [
    {
      "jurisdiction": "US",
      "jurisdiction_name": "United States",
      "authority": "Food and Drug Administration",
      "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
      "status_label": "Permitted, with conditions",
      "provision_count": 1,
      "provisions": [
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": null,
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": null,
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": null,
          "citation": {
            "ref": "21 CFR 172.175",
            "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-172.175"
          },
          "source": "ecfr",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T18:25:51.549Z"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "jurisdiction": "CODEX",
      "jurisdiction_name": "Codex Alimentarius",
      "authority": "Codex Alimentarius Commission / JECFA",
      "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
      "status_label": "Permitted, with conditions",
      "provision_count": 2,
      "provisions": [
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "08.2.2",
            "name": "Heat-treated processed meat, poultry, and game products in whole pieces or cuts"
          },
          "max_level": 80,
          "max_level_unit": "mg/kg",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 32 & 288",
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 250, food category 08.2.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "08.3",
            "name": "Processed comminuted meat, poultry, and game products"
          },
          "max_level": 80,
          "max_level_unit": "mg/kg",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 32, 286 & 287",
          "effective_from": "2014",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 250, food category 08.3",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "names": [
    {
      "name": "7632-00-0",
      "type": "cas",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "0.1M Sodium nitrite (naturally short expiry)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Acidified sodium nitrite (ASN)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Anti-rust",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Azotyn sodowy",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Caswell No. 782",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "CCRIS 559",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dusitan sodny",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E 250",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 076204",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Erinitrit",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Filmerine",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "HSDB 757",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "INS NO.250",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "INS-250",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "NaNO2",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Natrii nitris",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Natrium nitrit",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "natrium nitrite",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Natrum nitrosum",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "NITHIODOTE COMPONENT SODIUM NITRITE",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nitrite de sodium",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nitrite, sodium",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nitrito sodico",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nitrous acid soda",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nitrous acid, sodium salt",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nitrous acid, sodium salt (1:1)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "NNaO2",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Reagecon Nitrite (Sodium Nitrite) 100 microg/mL Stock Solution in Water according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Reagecon Sodium Nitrite 0.1M according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ribavirin Impurity 5",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "sodium nitrit",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite (USP)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium Nitrite 1000ppm As N",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite ACS grade",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, 99.5%, super free-flowing",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, 99.999% trace metals basis",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, >=99.99% trace metals basis",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, ACS reagent, >=97.0%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, analytical standard",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, anhydrous, free-flowing, Redi-Dri(TM), ACS reagent, >=97%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, AR, >=98%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, granular, 99.5%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, JIS special grade, >=98.5%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, LR, >=98%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, p.a., ACS reagent, 99%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, >=99.0% (RT)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. Ph. Eur., >=99%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, purum p.a., >=98.0% (RT)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, ReagentPlus(R), >=99.0%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, SAJ first grade, >=97.0%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, Trace metals grade",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium Nitrite-18O2 (10% 16O2)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "sodiumnitrite",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Synfat 1004",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E250",
      "type": "e_number",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "250",
      "type": "ins",
      "source": "gsfa"
    },
    {
      "name": "sodium nitrite",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sodium nitrite",
      "type": "label",
      "source": "ecfr"
    }
  ],
  "hazard_reference_values": [
    {
      "type": "ADI",
      "value": 0.1,
      "value_text": null,
      "unit": "mg/kg bw/day",
      "population": "consumers",
      "assessing_body": "EFSA ANS",
      "year": 2017,
      "opinion": {
        "ref": "doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4786",
        "url": "https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4786"
      }
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "key": "ecfr",
      "name": "Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21",
      "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office / National Archives",
      "licence": "Public domain",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-31/title-21.xml",
      "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T18:25:51.549Z"
    },
    {
      "key": "gsfa",
      "name": "Codex General Standard for Food Additives (CXS 192-1995)",
      "publisher": "Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO)",
      "licence": "FAO terms — non-commercial use with attribution",
      "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/",
      "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
    }
  ],
  "citation_policy": "Cite as: Food Additive Index, \"Sodium nitrite\", https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/sodium-nitrite. This site reports regulatory status and does not rate additives.",
  "generated_at": "2026-09-08T00:09:38.699Z"
}