Calcium hydroxide
Function: Acidity Regulator
E526 is the European food-additive number for Calcium hydroxide, an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Calcium hydroxide (E526) is an acidity regulator used as a food additive.
What is E526 used for?
Calcium hydroxide (E526) is an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all acidity regulators (E-numbers).
Is E526 safe or restricted?
E526 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E526 vegan or vegetarian?
Calcium hydroxide (E526) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E526?
E526 appears in 445 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in tortilla chips, shirataki / konjac noodles and tortilla / wrap.
- Tortilla Chips68
- Shirataki / Konjac Noodles45
- Tortilla / Wrap42
- Baby Formula (Powder)36
- Corn Snacks15
- Taco & Fajita Kits9
- Orange Juice5
- Cornmeal / Corn Flour5
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E526 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E526
- What is E526?
- E526 is the E-number for Calcium hydroxide, an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Calcium hydroxide (E526) is an acidity regulator used as a food additive.
- What is E526 used for?
- Calcium hydroxide (E526) is an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E526?
- E526 appears in 445 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in tortilla chips, shirataki / konjac noodles and tortilla / wrap. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E526 vegan or vegetarian?
- Calcium hydroxide (E526) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E526 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E526 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E526 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.