Potassium Bitartrate

Potassium Bitartrate carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 68 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Potassium Bitartrate highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Potassium Bitartrate68
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Potassium Bitartrate has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Potassium Bitartrate currently appears in 68 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

Potassium Bitartrate serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.

No specific concern flags are attached to Potassium Bitartrate in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Potassium Bitartrate
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 68 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 68 products

Black cat icing decorations
Unknown
10/100
Brownie Crisp
Trader Joe's
95/100
Brownie crisp
Lucy's
95/100
Brownie Crisp
Lucy's
95/100
Brownie Crisp Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
Trader Joe's
95/100
Bunny hutch kit
Unknown
0/100
Candy decorations
Unknown
0/100
Candy decorations
Unknown
0/100
chocolate chip cookies
Nature's Promise Free From,Nature's Promise
95/100
Chocolate chunk
Lucy's
95/100
Chocolate Cookie
Lucys, Lucy's
100/100
Chocolate silk light ice cream, chocolate silk
Unknown
100/100
Christmas Hand Decorated Cookie
Original Gourmet
55/100
Cinnamon thins
Lucy's
95/100
Cocoa Butter Melting Bath Truffles Box of 6
Swiss Toniq Geneva
100/100
Cookies
Lucy's
95/100
Cracked Candy, Sugar Free Candy Sweetened With Xylitol, Mellow Orange
Universal Caddy Products Inc.
100/100
Cracked Candy, Sugar Free Candy, Cinnamon
Universal Caddy Products Inc.
100/100
Cream of tartar
Unknown
100/100
Dat'L Do-It, Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Mix
Dat'L Do-It Inc.
100/100
Disposable decorating bag
Unknown
0/100
Edamame kale dip & plantain chips
Unknown
100/100
Gluten Free Holiday Sugars Cookies
Dr. Lucy's
95/100
Gluten-free cookies
Lucy's
95/100
Gluten-free cookies
Dr. Lucy's
95/100
Gluten-Free Cookies
Dr. Lucy's
95/100
Hand Decorated Cookie Pop
Cottondale
85/100
Icing decoration
Unknown
0/100
Icing decorations
Unknown
10/100
Icing Decorations
Wilton
0/100
Icing decorations
Unknown
0/100
Icing Decorations
Wilton
10/100
Icing decorations
Unknown
60/100
Icing decorations
Unknown
0/100
Icing decorations cupcakes
Unknown
75/100
Janie's cookie co, sugar cookie dough
Janie's Cookie Co.
100/100
Keto Pancake & Waffle mix
Modern Mountain Baking Company
100/100
Lemon goodness cookies
Lucy's
95/100
Lemon meringue pie
Unknown
50/100
Lucys, Berry Best Cookie
Dr. Lucy's
100/100
Maple Bliss Cookies
Lucy's
100/100
Maple walnut scones
Unknown
95/100
Marshmallow, Matcha Green Tea
Eiwa
100/100
Meringue Pie
Rocky Mountain Pies
50/100
Meringue Pie
Beehive
50/100
Mint chocolate chunks
Dr. Lucy's
95/100
Natures promise
Unknown
95/100
Nougat Almonds
Floria
100/100
Oatmeal Cookie
Dr. Lucy's
100/100
Original Baked Shrimp Chips
Calbee
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Potassium Bitartrate safe to eat?

Potassium Bitartrate has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Potassium Bitartrate?

Potassium Bitartrate is found in 68 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Potassium Bitartrate do in food?

Potassium Bitartrate serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.