E508 Potassium chloride. Food emulsifier E508 Potassium chloride. Benefits and properties of emulsifier E508 Potassium chloride in food

The massive passion for healthy eating programs and increased attention to one’s own health is undoubtedly encouraging. Nevertheless, it brings with it the emergence of many misconceptions and myths, as well as the emergence of new components to replace the usual ones. One of them is potassium chloride in the composition of salt, which has been actively used in combination with sodium chloride. The additive can be found in many products, including salt. This substance is used in salt with a reduced amount of sodium to avoid water retention in the body, lowering blood pressure. As a part of salt, it generally has a positive effect on health.

Potassium chloride is used in the food industry as a gelling agent, as an additive for producing salt with a reduced sodium content, and in medicine - as a drug to strengthen the heart muscle. There are no carcinogenic properties. Completely safe.

Potassium chloride in salt: effects on health

In the composition of salt, manufacturers only partially replace sodium chloride with potassium chloride. For example, among the products of TM Salute di Mare there is one in which the substitution is 30%. Even such a reduction in the amount of sodium can have a beneficial effect on human health. First of all, this is good news for those who are bothered by high blood pressure and swelling. Also, salt with a reduced amount of sodium is a godsend for people who decide to limit its consumption and stick to a diet.

Interesting fact! Potassium chloride is used in the prevention of arrhythmia in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

The human body needs potassium and sodium salts daily. They are responsible for regulating water balance, strengthening cell walls and reducing heart rate.

Benefit or harm?

If you take a trip through online forums, you can learn a lot of new things. Particularly impressive is the amount of categorical stupidity about the harm that potassium chloride causes to the body. If you consult with specialists, they will tell you - use according to the manufacturer’s instructions and there will only be benefits for the heart.

The amount of salt intake must be constantly monitored. Qualified nutritionists and doctors recommend not adding additional salt to dishes, as this leads to exceeding the daily norm for this product.

Speaking specifically about potassium chloride, this is one of the safest additives in the food industry. Moreover, any negative effects of salt can be avoided simply by controlling the amount of salt in your dishes. This supplement is approved and recognized as safe throughout the world. In addition, researchers have long established that consuming potassium chloride can normalize the acid-base balance. It also has a positive effect on the human nervous system, helping to improve the conduction of nerve impulses and heart function.

What to choose?

Doctors generally advise reducing salt consumption, but without it, dishes generally become bland and there is little pleasure from eating such food. Sea salt with reduced sodium content TM Salute di Mare can help you! First of all, it is affordable, safe and beneficial for your heart muscle. The salty taste remained unchanged, and 30% of the sodium salts were replaced with potassium. This way you use salt to your advantage, prevent the onset of hypertension and do not change your taste preferences!

What to choose is up to the consumer. The main thing to remember is that according to WHO recommendations, the daily diet should contain no more than 5 g of salt. This is the amount that is considered sufficient. Although no more is needed, this is quite enough to make the dish tasty, emphasizing the characteristics of each of the ingredients.

The choice based on a complete understanding of the composition cannot be wrong. Especially if you choose among the products of TM Salute di Mare, because each of them is 100% natural. If you want dietary salt and strengthen your heart function, then opt for reduced sodium sea salt! If you just need a natural product, extracted naturally, with minimal processing and a complex of sea minerals, then the only choice is packaging that is convenient for you!

Salt for your health with natural sea salt TM Salute di Mare and be healthy!

Material prepared by: Yuri Zelikovich, teacher of the Department of Geoecology and Environmental Management

Potassium chloride (potassium chloride) is today one of the most popular basic fertilizers in small private farming. The obvious reasons are the availability and speed of migration in the soil compared to others, which allows potassium chloride to promptly feed annuals during the season. But, on the other hand, the same speed of migration and the presence of chlorine ions, which are contraindicated for many garden crops, require Use potassium chloride with caution. By the way, it is possible to successfully feed plants that do not like chlorine such as potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, etc. with potassium chloride, you just need to know how and when. The purpose of this article is to explain to the gardener and amateur gardener how to properly use potassium chloride in the country and in the garden.

Types of fertilizers

Basic fertilizers are those containing one, two or all of the basic plant nutrients - nitrogen N, phosphorus P and potassium K. The first are mono-fertilizers, and those containing NP, NK, PK or NPK are complex. Additional and microfertilizers contain microelements - iron, magnesium, zinc, boron, molybdenum, copper, sulfur, etc. Any fertilizer can be ballast-free, free of by-products and ballast. Thus, potassium chloride is the main ballast monofertilizer.

Why do plants need potassium?

Potassium, like other nutrients, is absolutely essential for plants. Plants can still survive a deficiency of additional or microelements, losing productivity or refusing to bear fruit, but a deficiency of any of the main ones leads to their death. Garden crops, as a rule, find the vital minimum of additional and microelements in depleted, intensively used soil, giving some or an average harvest, but the lack of any of the main ones will bring all the owner’s efforts to nothing. Therefore, in a country house or garden plot, fertilizing with basic plant nutrients should be carried out regularly.

The peculiarity of potassium is that its minimum required for plants to vegetate on a starvation diet is available almost everywhere and is replenished from natural sources, which is why Russian potassium-loving farmers have neglected potassium for a long time. We can say that our summer residents “discovered” potassium relatively recently, when a dacha or a vegetable garden at home became not only a source of pickles for snacks, but also, with skillful management, a serious help in the budget. This is where it turned out that potassium has a multifaceted effect on plants (see figure on the right):

• Promotes the growth and strengthening of roots, which improves plant nutrition (gives them appetite), enhances their winter and drought resistance, as well as resistance to root pests.
• Activates the formation and growth of young shoots, incl. fruitful - hence an increase in yield. Of course, with sufficient NP and microelements.
• Increases the sugar content and “meatiness” of fruits, i.e. their taste and commercial qualities.

The obvious conclusion is that potassium is a “market” fertilizer that helps increase farm profitability. Especially in lean years, when prices for agricultural products rise. Not entirely obvious - potassium is not a panacea; its beneficial effect is felt only with complete, comprehensive nutrition of plants. Moreover, it is easier to overfeed plants with potassium than with nitrogen and phosphorus, and if signs of its excess appear (see below), it will be too late to do anything for annuals. Therefore, potassium chloride, as an easily digestible fertilizer, requires particularly careful attention.

Release forms

Chemically pure potassium chloride KCl is colorless transparent crystals (item 1 in the figure) or white powder (item 2). Its crystal lattice is cubic (item 3), like that of its closest chemical relative sodium chloride - ordinary table salt. And in the same way, potassium chloride is fragile and hygroscopic.

As a fertilizer, potassium chloride is sold in white and pink, loose and granular. All of them, from a reputable manufacturer, contain 58-65% active potassium (active ingredient); the exact percentage is indicated on the packaging. White potassium chloride is not necessarily pure white, as in pos. 4, it can be quite gray, pos. 5. The latter, if it is from a natural deposit or electrolysis (see below), is perhaps even better - it contains trace elements as impurities.

For the purposes of agricultural technology, the correct fractionation of potassium chloride is more important: in grains, similar in shape and size to very small sunflower seeds, pos. 6. Such potassium chloride is sometimes called seed by analogy with fine fuel coal. It is with potassium chloride – seeds (or granulated, see below) that you can fertilize crops that do not tolerate chlorine. How – also see below. And why? The rate of dissolution of potassium chloride - seeds in soil moisture is such that chlorine quickly migrates in the soil, goes down, and potassium remains at the roots.

Note: pure white potassium chloride is best suited for foliar feeding and emergency feeding when signs of potassium starvation appear, see below, because it is more soluble and contains a minimum of ballast.

From the point of view of agricultural chemistry, pink potassium chloride is almost no different from white. It can be reddish in color from almost white to gray-brown, pos. 7-11. This is explained by the presence of natural mineral impurities, which is why the development of potassium salts looks like fantastic underground palaces, see figure:

This beauty is not suitable for crafts - it is fragile and gyroscopic. Natural impurities in potassium salts are not harmful to plants, and are often beneficial. The color of pink potassium chloride is a good indicator of its natural origin, which is why it is valued above white. Unfortunately, pink potassium chloride is often counterfeited with surrogates obtained from industrial waste, see below.

Granulate

Its granules have all the properties of potassium chloride – seeds. Granulated potassium chloride can be distinguished from ground potassium chloride under a magnifying glass: the edges and edges of its grains seem to be licked off, because granular potassium chloride is obtained from industrial waste by pressing. Industrial origin is not a defect; industrial potassium chloride can be no worse and even better than natural one. When purchasing, you only need to visually check it for harmful impurities and find out the origin of the product, see below. However, granular potassium chloride, with rare exceptions, is benign - counterfeiting it requires costs, which a petty crook does not have the means to afford.

Note: the granular form of release for sale is an indicator of the quality of potassium chloride even more reliable than the “pinkness”, which is why granulate is more expensive.

Surrogates

Potassium chloride of industrial origin can be indistinguishable in appearance from white, which is gray, or light brown pink, pos. 1 in Fig. In this case, you need, firstly, to check the specification from what type of waste it was produced; conscientious manufacturers always indicate the origin of the product. Flotation potassium chloride (from mining waste) is the cheapest, but it should only be taken from a trusted supplier. It is flotation potassium chloride that is most often counterfeited, passing off as ground sludge, which contains less active potassium than harmful impurities. However, large agricultural enterprises with established supply channels willingly and successfully use flotation potassium chloride.

Electrolysis potassium chloride is obtained from electrometallurgy waste. As a rule, there are no harmful impurities in it - already at the production stage they are smelted into slag. Electrometallurgy is a complex, well-equipped industry; electrometallurgists are responsible people, and there have been no cases of counterfeiting of electrolysis potassium chloride.

If the origin of potassium chloride is unknown, it is very necessary and there is nowhere else to get it - look at the color. Yellowness of white or redness of pink (positions 2 and 3) are signs of the presence of a large admixture of sulfur, 3-valent iron or something else, which will not do any good to you or the plants, except harm. In this case, it would be preferable to make do with a potash fertilizer at hand, for example, an infusion of wood ash.

Application

Potassium chloride is a “summer” fertilizer. Before winter, it is not applied to refill the soil; it is used for this purpose. With the use of potassium chloride, you can prepare plants for winter by adding it after harvesting, before the growing season is over, see for example. track. video.

Video: preparing plants for winter using potassium chloride

The use of potassium chloride for plant nutrition is justified in the following. circumstances:

1. For urgent foliar feeding by spraying with a 1-2% solution in the presence of signs of potassium starvation (see below) - here it’s chlorine, not chlorine, you need to save;
2. On heavy soils, when filling the soil with mulch in the spring at the rate of 25-35 g per square meter. m. depending on soil fertility. Light permeable soils are filled with potassium sulfate, and potassium chloride is not recommended for filling them at all;
3. In order to prepare perennials for winter - by warmth after harvesting 10 g/sq. m on medium and heavy soils, 20 g/sq. m on the lungs. In the latter case, up to 50% of the active substance will be lost;
4. For seasonal feeding of chlorine-tolerant vegetables and fruits - according to the rules of agricultural technology for a given species and variety. You definitely cannot quickly feed cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, all berries, legumes and salads with potassium chloride;
5. When planting “potassium gluttons” - , . The planting hole is dug 7-8 cm deeper than usual, 2-3 pinches (a third of a matchbox) of potassium chloride - seeds or granules - are added there and sprinkled with earth. While the plant develops, the chlorine will leave, and most of the potassium will remain at the roots.

Note: Refilling from autumn to winter with potassium chloride is possible on very heavy clay and loamy soils or in places with harsh winters and stable snow cover. Under other conditions, potassium will go in the same place as chlorine until spring.

Hunger strike and overfeeding

It is necessary to use potassium chloride for emergency feeding if the signs of acute potassium starvation are clearly visible on the lower old leaves:

• The leaves are shriveled, their edges are curled.
• Brown spots appear between the veins.
• In severe cases, the wrinkled edges of the leaves turn brown as a continuous border and dry out.

In case of mild potassium starvation (seedlings do not sit well in the ground, young stems are twisted, pale, tillering is weak), it is best to feed the plants with potassium magnesia. Potassium chloride often causes overfeeding of weakened plants, as if an exhausted person who had been starving for a long time suddenly overate to the point of nausea. In perennials, overfeeding with potassium is most often expressed in diseases of the roots and freezing of the buds in winter, but in annuals it is immediately visible: the stems lie down and rot at the root collar. In this case, it is possible to save at least part of the crop by immediately stopping all fertilizing, reducing watering to a minimum and removing some of the fruitful shoots with unripe fruits.

Potassium chloride- white crystalline substance. Colorless crystals or odorless white crystalline powder; salty taste. Soluble in water (1:3), practically insoluble in alcohol.

Application

Potassium chloride used as an additive ( E-508) to table salt (the so-called “reduced sodium salt”). E-508 also used to prevent food from clumping. In medicine potassium chloride used as a drug that strengthens the heart muscle (in very small doses). Potassium salts are easily absorbed when taken orally and are excreted relatively quickly by the kidneys. Like other potassium salts (see potassium acetate), potassium chloride has a moderate diuretic effect. It is possible to form holograms on potassium chloride crystals.

In a number of US states it is used as an injection for capital punishment.

Chemical information

Chemical formula KCl. Melting point 776 °C, boiling point 1407 °C. Belongs to the NaCl structural type. Occurs in nature as the mineral sylvite. To obtain potassium chloride (potassium chloride) from carnallite, the latter is treated with water or a lye of a certain composition, as a result of which magnesium chloride passes into the solution, and potassium chloride remains in the sediment. Potassium chloride is used as a fertilizer for the production of caustic potash, Berthollet salt, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate, etc.

Potassium is a trace element, without which the proper functioning of all vital internal organs is impossible. The valuable substance enters the body with food. In order for it to be fully absorbed, it is necessary to limit consumption, that is, table salt.

Additive E 508 is designed to replace harmful sodium chloride, while maintaining the taste of products.

Potassium chloride is the official name of the food additive. The international option is Potassium Chloride.

Other names:

• E 508 (E–508), European code;
• potassium chloride;
• potassium hydrochloride;
• sylvin;
• chloride de potassium, French;
• Kaliumchlorid, German.

Type of substance

Additive E 508 is a potassium salt of hydrochloric acid. The substance belongs to the group

The product can be obtained either by processing the natural mineral sylvinite or by chemical means. In the second case, potassium hydroxide is affected.

Properties

Package

Manufacturing companies for packaging stabilizer E 508 use:

• multilayer paper bags;
• grocery bags made of polypropylene fiber;
• cardboard drums;
• plastic barrels.

Application

Additive E 508 is approved in all countries. The daily rate has not been established.

The product is mainly used as a gelling agent, stabilizer in the production of cheeses, condensed milk, and filling for canned vegetables and fruits.

In the food industry, potassium chloride is used to solve other technological problems:

• prevention of caking and clumping of milk powder;
• as a nutrient medium for baker's yeast;
• substitute for table salt in dietary products with reduced sodium levels.

What additive is hidden behind the E129 index and how safe is it to use? We talked about this.

Benefits and harms

The supplement is useful as a source of potassium. In small doses, the substance has a beneficial effect on the heart and is involved in protein synthesis and metabolic processes.

Once in the body, the product is easily absorbed into the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, and the remains are excreted by the kidneys.

The danger is consuming large amounts of potassium chloride. A single dose of more than 15 g of the substance can cause:

• weakness;
• confusion, speech impairment;
• cardiac arrhythmia;
• bronchospasm.

Potassium salt poisoning can be fatal.

Main manufacturers

The largest producer of potassium chloride not only in Russia, but also in the world is OJSC Uralkali.

Among foreign companies the leaders are:

• OJSC "Belaruskali" (city of Soligorsk, Minsk region);
• Canadian Mosaic and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan;
• Kali und Salz (Germany);
• Agrium Inc (USA).

The chemical properties of additive E 508 are similar to table salt. Food products containing potassium chloride safe for health.

The use of the substance as a medicine is possible only as prescribed by a doctor.

The article describes the food additive (gelling agent, stabilizer) potassium chloride (E508, potassium chloride), its use, effect on the body, harm and benefit, composition, consumer reviews
Other additive names: potassium chloride, E508, E508, E508

Functions performed

gelling agent, stabilizer

Legality of use

Ukraine EU Russia

Potassium chloride, E508 – what is it?

Potassium Chloride E508 is obtained from the natural mineral sylvite

Potassium chloride (food additive E508) is a close “relative” of regular table salt (sodium chloride). Both of these substances are similar in their physical and chemical properties and in appearance. Potassium chloride (potassium chloride) is odorless white crystals with a salty taste. The chemical formula of potassium chloride is KCl.
The sources of raw materials for the production of the E508 dietary supplement are the fossil minerals sylvite and halite (they are components of another mineral, sylvinite), as well as carnallite.

In industry, potassium chloride is produced from natural raw materials using special methods called halurgy and flotation. The principle of the galurgy method is to use the different dissolution abilities of NaCl and KCl in water by heating their solution. The flotation method consists of separating crushed minerals due to their different retention at the phase interface in a liquid environment. It is also possible to isolate potassium chloride during the production of nitric acid from potassium nitrate and hydrochloric acid as a by-product.

Potassium chloride, E508 – effects on the body, harm or benefit?

Potassium chloride is introduced into the diet for medical purposes to compensate for the lack of potassium in the human body. Once in the stomach, potassium salt is well absorbed. In medicine, potassium chloride is used in microdoses in preparations that help strengthen the heart muscle. The food additive E508 does not exhibit carcinogenic or other hazardous properties and in some cases is beneficial to health.

Food additive E508, potassium chloride – use in food products

The food additive E508 is used as a stabilizer in enterprises producing milk powder, condensed milk, cheeses, cream, canned vegetables and fruits. Potassium chloride can be found in various foods as an anti-caking agent. Also, the E508 additive is added to table salt in order to obtain a product with a reduced sodium level for dietary nutrition.