Sequestrants

Binds metal ions so they cannot cause spoilage or discolouration.

74 additives that at least one regulator lists as sequestrants: 26 by Canada, 34 by United States and 55 by Codex Alimentarius. Each mark shows the term that regulator used; follow it for the citation.

A function is not a permission. Being listed here says what a regulator treats the additive as, not that it is permitted in any particular food or place — its own page shows that. Where a regulator leaves a cell empty, it has not assigned this function in the sources this site reads; it may assign another, or none.

The US column is the least complete. Only some US listings name their technical effect by citing 21 CFR 170.3(o); many, especially in part 172, describe their use in their own words, and this site does not read a function into that prose. An empty US cell says little.

AdditiveCAUSCodex
Acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol E472a——Sequestrant
Alginic acid E400——Sequestrant
Aluminum sulfate E520—Sequestrant—
Ammonium alginate E403——Sequestrant
Ammonium citrate, dibasicSequestering agent——
Ammonium citrate, monobasicSequestering agent——
Ammonium polyphosphate INS 452(v)——Sequestrant
Ascorbic acid E300—SequestrantSequestrant
Biotin—Sequestrant—
Calcium acetate E263—Sequestrants; Sequestrant—
Calcium alginate E404——Sequestrant
Calcium citrate E333Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Calcium dihydrogen diphosphate E450(vii)——Sequestrant
Calcium disodium EDTA E385Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Calcium gluconate E578—Sequestrants; SequestrantSequestrant
Calcium hexametaphosphate—Sequestrant—
Calcium peroxide—Sequestrant—
Calcium phosphate E341Sequestering agent——
Calcium phytateSequestering agent——
Calcium polyphosphate E452——Sequestrant
Calcium pyrophosphate E450——Sequestrant
Calcium sulfate E516——Sequestrant
Citric acid E330Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol E472c——Sequestrant
Diacetyltartaric and fatty acid esters of glycerol E472e——Sequestrant
Dipotassium phosphate E340Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Disodium EDTA INS 386Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Disodium phosphate E339Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Glucono delta-lactone E575—Sequestrants; SequestrantSequestrant
Glycine E640Sequestering agent——
Isopropyl citrate INS 384—Sequestrants; SequestrantSequestrant
Lactic and fatty acid esters of glycerol E472b——Sequestrant
Malic acid E296——Sequestrant
Manganese citrate—Sequestrant—
Monobasic calcium phosphate E341Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Monoglyceride citrate—Sequestrant—
Monoisopropyl citrate—Sequestrant—
Oxystearin—Sequestrant—
Pentapotassium triphosphate INS 451(ii)Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Phosphoric acid E338Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Potassium alginate E402——Sequestrant
Potassium dihydrogen citrate INS 332(i)——Sequestrant
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate INS 340(i)Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Potassium gluconate E577—SequestrantSequestrant
Potassium polyphosphate E452——Sequestrant
Sodium acetate E262——Sequestrant
Sodium acid phosphate INS 339(i)Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Sodium acid pyrophosphate E450Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Sodium alginate E401——Sequestrant
Sodium calcium polyphosphate E452——Sequestrant
Sodium citrate INS 331(iii)Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Sodium diacetate E262——Sequestrant
Sodium dihydrogen citrate INS 331(i)——Sequestrant
Sodium gluconate E576—SequestrantSequestrant
Sodium hexametaphosphateSequestering agent——
Sodium metaphosphate, insoluble—Sequestrant—
Sodium polyphosphate E452——Sequestrant
Sodium potassium hexametaphosphateSequestering agent——
Sodium potassium tartrate E337—SequestrantSequestrant
Sodium potassium tripolyphosphateSequestering agent——
Sodium pyrophosphate E450(iii)Sequestering agentSequestrant—
Sodium tartrate E335—SequestrantSequestrant
Sodium thiosulfate INS 539—SequestrantSequestrant
Sodium tripolyphosphate E451Sequestering agentSequestrantSequestrant
Sorbitol E420—SequestrantsSequestrant
Sorbitol syrup INS 420(ii)——Sequestrant
Stearyl citrate INS 484Sequestering agentSequestrants; SequestrantSequestrant
Tartaric acid E334——Sequestrant
Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate E450(v)Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Triethyl citrate E1505—SequestrantSequestrant
Tripotassium citrate INS 332(ii)—SequestrantSequestrant
Tripotassium phosphate INS 340(iii)——Sequestrant
Trisodium diphosphate E450(ii)Sequestering agent—Sequestrant
Trisodium phosphate INS 339(iii)—SequestrantSequestrant