Sodium aluminium phosphate
Function: Emulsifier
E541 is the European food-additive number for Sodium aluminium phosphate, an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. Sodium aluminium phosphate (E541) is an emulsifier used as a food additive.
What is E541 used for?
Sodium aluminium phosphate (E541) is an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all emulsifiers (E-numbers).
Is E541 safe or restricted?
E541 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 E541 vegan or vegetarian?
Sodium aluminium phosphate (E541) 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 E541?
E541 appears in 8,222 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, cake mixes and frozen pizza.
- Cakes1,425
- Cake Mixes696
- Frozen Pizza386
- Sweet Pastries365
- Pastry343
- Pancake & Waffle Mixes289
- Muffins262
- Pizza260
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E541 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 E541
- What is E541?
- E541 is the E-number for Sodium aluminium phosphate, an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. Sodium aluminium phosphate (E541) is an emulsifier used as a food additive.
- What is E541 used for?
- Sodium aluminium phosphate (E541) is an emulsifier — helps ingredients that normally separate, like oil and water, stay mixed. 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 E541?
- E541 appears in 8,222 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, cake mixes and frozen pizza. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E541 vegan or vegetarian?
- Sodium aluminium phosphate (E541) 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 E541 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E541 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 E541 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.