E536 - Potassium Ferrocyanide

Author: Nia Rouseberg Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)

Characteristic: Potassium ferrocyanide is a crystalline powder or crystals. The substance dissolves well in water, in ether, pyridine, ethyl acetate, ethanol and aniline is insoluble. Although they add

Characteristic

Potassium ferrocyanide is a crystalline powder or crystals. The substance dissolves well in water, in ether, pyridine, ethyl acetate, ethanol and aniline is insoluble. Although the additive E 536 is approved for use in the food industry in many countries, it is in itself highly toxic. In addition, it contains, in the form of impurities, substances such as cyanide and hydrocyanic acid.

Use

In the food industry, potassium ferrocyanide is used mainly as an ingredient that prevents sticking and lump formation. First of all, E 536 is part of the finely ground table salt. The additive is also used in the preparation of sausages. You can find out about its presence in them by the white deposits on the peel. Potassium ferrocyanide is also part of some wines during demetallization (purification of wine from heavy metal cations).

In addition to the food industry, the substance is also used for dyeing silk in the preparation of dyes.

In the chemical industry E 536 is used in the production of cyanide, colored paper, ferrite. Potassium ferrocyanide produces hydrocyanic acid.

Impact on humans

Given the toxicity of the food additive E 536, strictly regulated standards have been introduced with regard to its use. The amount of the substance in the salt may not exceed 10 mg / kg, there must be no residue of the substance in the wines. If the permissible technological norms are observed, potassium ferrocyanide does not pose a danger to human health. At the same time, it is unacceptable for the substance to enter the respiratory tract when working with it in the chemical industry or in the preparation of the additive itself. Inhalation of vapors released as a result of reactions with other substances may provoke an asthma attack, bronchial irritation, cough.

E536 - Potassium Ferrocyanide

CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)

Characteristic

Use

Impact on humans

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