E508Potassium chloride

E508 is potassium chloride. In Appendix 1 of Circular 24/2019/TT-BYT it has the function stabiliser, flavour enhancer, firming agent and thickener.

Code: E508 · INS 508
Group: Stabilizer, Flavour enhancer, Firming agent, Thickener

In Vietnam✓ PermittedOn the list of permitted additives — Circular 24/2019, Appendix 1

Risk level on the Yenzo Scalevery low?Based on the Open Food Facts additives taxonomy

How E508 appears on labels

IngredientsIllustrative example

Wheat flour, vegetable oil, salt, sugar, stabilizer (508), dried onion and garlic, pepper, natural colour (160a).

stabilizer (508)stabilizer 508E508INS 508On Vietnamese labels: Kali clorid

Potassium chloride in food

Salt substitutes

Processed fruit and vegetables

Confectionery Flavoured drinks Sauces Meat products

Questions about potassium chloride

What is E508 (potassium chloride)?

According to Appendix 1 of Circular 24/2019/TT-BYT, potassium chloride (INS 508) has the function stabiliser, flavour enhancer, firming agent and thickener.

Is potassium chloride harmful?

In 2019 EFSA concluded that exposure to chloride from hydrochloric acid and its potassium, calcium and magnesium salts (E507, E508, E509, E511) does not raise a safety concern at the reported use levels. EFSA used a reference value of 40 mg chloride/kg body weight per day: mean exposure in all age groups was at or below it, while 95th percentile exposure in toddlers, children and adolescents was slightly above it. The main contributors are processed fruit and vegetables, confectionery, flavoured drinks and sauces.

Is E508 permitted in Vietnam?

Yes. Potassium chloride (INS 508) is listed in Appendix 1 of Circular 24/2019/TT-BYT, the list of additives permitted in food.

Other stabilizers

E494Sorbitan monooleatelow E500Sodium carbonatesvery low E501Potassium carbonatesvery low E509Calcium chloridevery low E511Magnesium chloridevery low E516Calcium sulphatevery low

See all stabilizers →

Updated 22 October 2026

How Yenzo scores

Sources (3)

Open Food Facts additives taxonomy (Yenzo's table cites no EFSA opinion for this code). Open Food Facts additives taxonomy, https://github.com/openfoodfacts/openfoodfacts-server/blob/main/taxonomies/additives.txt (entry en:e508)
Thông tư 24/2019/TT-BYT (văn bản hợp nhất 09/VBHN-BYT), Phụ lục 1
EFSA Journal (2019). Re-evaluation of hydrochloric acid (E 507), potassium chloride (E 508), calcium chloride (E 509) and magnesium chloride (E 511) as food additives

Information only, not medical advice. The risk level is the additive's class in Yenzo's open scoring method, based on the cited source.