Sodium Nitrate
Function: Preservative
E251 is the European food-additive number for Sodium Nitrate, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. SODIUM NITRATE is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO3.
What is E251 used for?
Sodium Nitrate (E251) is a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all preservatives (E-numbers).
Is E251 safe or restricted?
E251 is banned or severely restricted in one or more jurisdictions. Forkin classifies it as “Severely restricted” 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 E251 vegan or vegetarian?
Sodium Nitrate (E251) 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 E251?
E251 appears in 1,314 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in hard cheese, gouda and sausages.
- Hard Cheese183
- Gouda107
- Sausages103
- Pork (General)61
- Ham59
- Salami / Chorizo43
- Semi-Soft Cheese29
- Prosciutto / Serrano29
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E251 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 E251
- What is E251?
- E251 is the E-number for Sodium Nitrate, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. SODIUM NITRATE is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO3.
- What is E251 used for?
- Sodium Nitrate (E251) is a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. 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 E251?
- E251 appears in 1,314 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in hard cheese, gouda and sausages. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E251 vegan or vegetarian?
- Sodium Nitrate (E251) 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 E251 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E251 is banned or severely restricted in one or more jurisdictions. Forkin classifies it as "Severely restricted" 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 E251 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.