Frequently asked questions about potassium chloride
When using potassium chloride in food, there are several key issues that need to be resolved. In this FAQ, we provide answers to the most frequently heard questions:
What is potassium chloride?
Answer: Potassium chloride is a common natural mineral. It is usually extracted from the ground through solution potash mining; that is, water is injected into the ground where potassium chloride deposits exist, the water dissolves the potassium chloride, the saturated brine is pumped back to the surface, and the water evaporates, leaving behind the potassium chloride. Potassium chloride can also be extracted from the sea, using a similar process to produce some sea salt. Potassium chloride is a mineral that exists in seawater and can be extracted by traditional solar evaporation.
Is potassium chloride safe to eat?
Answer: Yes. Potassium chloride has been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). As a multi-purpose ingredient in food, there are no restrictions other than the current good manufacturing practices (cGMP), which means food manufacturers It can achieve the required level of its expected technical effect in food.
Is potassium chloride harmful to me?
Answer: The long history of potassium chloride used in food, and its regulatory approval for food use in the United States and many international scientific institutions and regulatory agencies, support the safety of oral consumption of potassium chloride. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of chloride salts (including potassium chloride) is "unrestricted", which indicates that they are very toxic to humans.
Is there a recommended intake of potassium chloride? If so, what will happen if I exceed them?
Answer: Potassium chloride is absorbed by the body in the form of its constituent ions: potassium and chloride. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an adequate dietary intake (AI) level of 4.7 g/day of potassium (all adults) should maintain a low blood pressure level and reduce the adverse effects of sodium chloride intake on blood pressure. Reduce the risk of recurrence of kidney stones and possibly reduce bone loss. In general healthy people with normal kidney function, excessive intake of potassium from food (for example, higher than AI) is not important because it is easily excreted in the urine. However, individuals with special medical conditions related to impaired urinary potassium excretion (such as diabetes, renal failure, severe heart failure, etc.) or who are receiving specific treatment options (such as certain drugs, dietary restrictions, etc.) should consult before eating Before any foods containing potassium chloride, please consult their healthcare professional. At present, the potassium intake of all populations in the United States and Canada is much lower than AI. Adult women consume only about half of AI (2.2-2.6 g/day), and men are slightly higher than women (2.8-2.6 g/day). 3.4 g/day). This includes all sources of potassium from food (ie, naturally occurring or added ingredients). Therefore, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends increasing the intake of foods that provide nutrients such as potassium. Naturally occurring or added ingredients). Therefore, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends increasing the intake of foods that provide nutrients such as potassium. Naturally occurring or added ingredients). Therefore, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends increasing the intake of foods that provide nutrients such as potassium.
What about the intake of chloride from potassium chloride?
Answer: According to the IOM, the chloride AI for all adults is 2.3 g/day, and the upper limit (UL) is 3.6 g/day; and, generally speaking, the presence of sodium chloride in processed foods meets the chloride requirement. Therefore, the use of potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride in food is not expected to result in an increase in the potential dietary intake of chloride.
Are there any health issues that I should be concerned about?
Answer: In healthy people with normal kidney function, excessive intake of potassium from food is not important because it is easily excreted in the urine. However, individuals with special medical conditions related to impaired urinary potassium excretion (such as diabetes, renal failure, severe heart failure, etc.) or who are receiving specific treatment options (such as certain drugs, dietary restrictions, etc.) should consult before eating Before any foods containing potassium chloride, please consult their healthcare professional.
Does my body need potassium chloride?
Answer: Potassium chloride is absorbed by the body in the form of its constituent ions: potassium and chloride. Electrolytes, such as potassium and chloride, are essential for the normal functions of the human body (for example, blood pressure homeostasis, kidney function, cell communication, pH buffering).
What is the use of potassium chloride in food?
Answer: According to the use of potassium chloride confirmed by GRAS, it is used as a flavor enhancer, flavoring agent, nutritional supplement, pH control agent and stabilizer or thickener. However, potassium chloride is used for two main purposes in food. The first is to provide potassium for food. The second is to reduce the sodium content in food as a substitute for table salt. Like salt (also known as sodium chloride), potassium chloride provides a salty taste, and usually can also perform other functions (such as microbial management, protein modification, flavor enhancement), affecting the taste, texture, and shelf life of food.
Which foods contain potassium chloride?
Answer: Potassium chloride is widely used as a salt substitute or to provide potassium enrichment in many different foods, including:
- Infant formula
- cereals
- Frozen main course
- Meat
- Snacks, such as potato chips or potato chips
- Sports/electrolyte drinks
- Soup
- Sauce
- Snack/Bar
What are the other non-food uses of potassium chloride?
Answer: So far, the biggest use of potassium chloride is as a fertilizer. Like humans and many other organisms, plants also need potassium to thrive. Fertilizer/industrial-grade potassium chloride is often referred to as potash fertilizer.
Potassium chloride is also used in dialysate in the pharmaceutical industry. The potassium chloride in the dialysate helps maintain the balance of the body's electrolytes.
Is there another way to reduce salt/sodium without using potassium chloride?
Answer: For home cooking, herbs and seasonings can be used to add flavor to the food. For commercially prepared items, spices and herbs may provide or enhance the taste of food; however, food manufacturers still need to consider other basic functions of salt in food (such as texture, microbial management). Depending on the function, other non-sodium substitutes such as magnesium chloride and calcium chloride can be used; however, they sometimes produce "off-flavors".
Do I need to worry about potassium chloride allergy?
Answer: Potassium chloride does not contain any known major food allergens, including: wheat, soy, milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, fish or shellfish. However, any food carries the risk of intolerance or allergic reaction. Individuals who believe they have a reaction to potassium chloride should consult their healthcare professional.