Aluminium sodium sulphate
Function: Food Additive
E521 is the European food-additive number for Aluminium sodium sulphate. Aluminium sodium sulphate (E521) is a food additive used as a food additive.
Is E521 safe or restricted?
E521 is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as “Under monitoring” 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 E521 vegan or vegetarian?
Aluminium sodium sulphate (E521) 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 E521?
E521 appears in 569 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in biscuits & cookies, cakes and extruded snacks.
- Biscuits & Cookies62
- Cakes58
- Extruded Snacks41
- Tortilla / Wrap28
- Chocolate Candy26
- Frozen Pizza24
- Baking Powder23
- Pizza19
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E521 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 E521
- What is E521?
- E521 is the E-number for Aluminium sodium sulphate. Aluminium sodium sulphate (E521) is a food additive used as a food additive.
- Which foods contain E521?
- E521 appears in 569 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in biscuits & cookies, cakes and extruded snacks. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E521 vegan or vegetarian?
- Aluminium sodium sulphate (E521) 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 E521 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E521 is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as "Under monitoring" 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 E521 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.