# Potassium Persulfate

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**Safety rating:** UNKNOWN
**CAS number:** 7727-21-1
**Category:** other
**FDA GRAS:** no
**Adverse events (FDA AERS):** 0
**FDA recalls:** 0
**Last updated:** 2026-04-04

## Summary

Potassium persulfate (CAS 7727-21-1) is an oxidizing agent occasionally used as a surface-active agent in food processing. It is not approved as a food additive by the FDA and has no established safe use levels in food.

## Regulatory status

| Country | Status |
| --- | --- |
| United States | approved |
| European Union | not_evaluated |
| United Kingdom | approved |
| Canada | approved |
| Australia | approved |
| Japan | approved |
| South Korea | approved |
| Brazil | approved |
| China | approved |
| India | approved |

## Detailed analysis

## What is Potassium Persulfate?

Potassium persulfate is an inorganic chemical compound with the molecular formula K₂S₂O₈. It is a white crystalline solid that functions as a strong oxidizing agent. In industrial applications, potassium persulfate is commonly used in cosmetics, water treatment, polymer manufacturing, and analytical chemistry. Its oxidizing properties make it useful for initiating chemical reactions and breaking down organic compounds.

## Common Uses

In food-related applications, potassium persulfate is not a permitted food additive in the United States. However, it has been investigated for potential use as a surface-active agent and oxidizing compound in limited food processing scenarios. Its primary industrial applications remain outside the food sector, where it serves as a bleaching agent, disinfectant, and polymerization initiator. Some limited research has explored its antimicrobial properties, but these applications have not translated into approved food uses in major regulatory jurisdictions.

## Safety Assessment

Potassium persulfate has not undergone the safety evaluation required for food additive approval by the FDA. The compound is known to be a strong oxidizer, which raises safety concerns regarding direct food contact and ingestion. According to occupational safety data, potassium persulfate can cause skin irritation, respiratory irritation, and eye damage upon exposure. Its use in food would require establishing safe exposure limits and ensuring no migration to food products occurs at harmful levels.

The absence of adverse event reports to the FDA and lack of recalls associated with this substance likely reflects its non-approval and minimal use in the U.S. food supply. This does not constitute evidence of safety for food applications, as these metrics only apply to substances already in use.

## Regulatory Status

Potassium persulfate is not approved by the FDA as a food additive for any use in the United States. It is not listed in the FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) database. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has similarly not approved this compound for food use. In jurisdictions where it may have limited applications in food processing, its use would be restricted to non-food-contact applications such as equipment cleaning or sanitization, where residues can be controlled and removed before food contact.

The substance is regulated as a chemical in occupational and environmental contexts but does not have an established regulatory pathway for food additive approval.

## Key Studies

No peer-reviewed toxicology studies specific to potassium persulfate as a food additive were identified in scientific literature. Available safety data primarily derive from occupational health studies and industrial safety assessments. Research on persulfate compounds generally indicates oxidative stress potential at exposure levels, though food-grade applications would require specific safety studies including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) data.

The lack of dedicated food safety studies reflects the additive's non-approved status. Any future consideration for food use would require comprehensive safety dossiers, including acute and chronic toxicity studies, genotoxicity assessments, and determination of acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels, following FDA or EFSA guidelines.

## Brands using Potassium Persulfate

- Bob's (1 product)

## Sources

- FDA Substances Added to Food (CFSAN)
- OpenFDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS)
- OpenFDA Food Recalls
- EFSA OpenFoodTox
- EU Food Additive Portal

## Citation

Additive Facts. "Potassium Persulfate — Safety, regulation, and evidence." https://additivefacts.com/additives/potassium-persulfate. Accessed 2026-05-20.