Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 1,085 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 — Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate1085
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 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

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate currently appears in 1,085 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.

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 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 Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 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 Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 1,085 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 1,085 products

1/2 sheet album cake yellow dough, yellow dough
Unknown
0/100
1/2 sheet decorated chocolate iced yellow cake, chocolate iced yellow
Unknown
0/100
1/2 sheet party cake white iced yellow, white iced yellow
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet album cake marble dough, marble dough
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet decorated white iced cake, white iced white
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet decorated white iced marble cake
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet decorated white iced white cake chocolate decorations, white iced white
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet party cake chocolate iced marble, chocolate iced marble
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet party cake chocolate iced yellow, chocolate iced yellow
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet party cake iced chocolate, chocolate iced chocolate
Unknown
0/100
1/4 sheet party cake white iced chocolate, white iced chocolate
Unknown
0/100
100% Angus Beef Cheeseburger
Oven Pride
100/100
3 crab cakes
Unknown
100/100
3 oz sfd lobster cakes
Unknown
95/100
5 crab cakes
Aldi
80/100
7" cake cannoli
Unknown
75/100
8" decorated cake chocolate iced yellow, chocolate iced yellow
Unknown
0/100
8" devil's food cake, devil's food
Unknown
75/100
8" party cake white iced marble, white iced marble
Unknown
0/100
8" red velvet cake, red velvet
Unknown
0/100
8" triple chocolate cake, triple chocolate
Unknown
75/100
8" white iced marble cake
Unknown
50/100
8" white iced white cake, white iced white
Unknown
75/100
Abdallah, Rabbit Tail Marshmallows With Milk Chocolate
Abdallah Inc.
75/100
Ahold, chocolate dipped marshmallows, peppermint
Ahold
25/100
Alaskan Snow Legs
Unknown
100/100
Alaskan Snow Legs
Unknown
100/100
aldi brand pudding
Unknown
100/100
Alessi bakeries, red velvet cupcakes
Alessi, Alessi Bakeries
75/100
All Butter Pound Cake
Bakery Fresh Goodness
100/100
America's favorite marshmallows
Unknown
75/100
Anderson, Premium Ice Cream, Rocky Road
Anderson Dairy Inc
95/100
Apple caramel cupcakes
Unknown
70/100
Apple Caramel Cupcakes
Two Bite
70/100
Archer farms, chocolate covered graham crackers & marshmallow bites, s'mores
Archer Farms, Target Stores
100/100
Archer farms, crisp rice marshmallow bites, dark chocolate sea salt caramel
Archer Farms, Target Stores
65/100
Archer farms, crisp rice marshmallow bites, milk chocolate, peanut butter
Archer Farms, Target Stores
75/100
Arctic white hot cocoa mix, arctic white
Land O Lakes, Land O'Lakes Inc.
100/100
Arm & Hammer Advanced White
Unknown
85/100
Arm & Hammer TheraBreath
Unknown
70/100
Artichoke parmesan dip
Unknown
95/100
Assorted cupcakes
Unknown
75/100
Atlantic Salmon Pinwheel
Slade Gorton & Co. Inc.
95/100
Atlantic Salmon with Seafood Stuffing
Kroger
100/100
Atlantic salmon with seafood stuffing and tilapia with spinach & feta stuffing
Star Fisheries
40/100
Bacon Breakfast Bowl
Great Value
85/100
Bacon cheeseburger
Speedway
85/100
Bacon with scrambled egg patty & american cheese on a buttermilk biscuit sandwich
Unknown
85/100
Baked Apple Crisp
Market Pantry
50/100
Baked apple crisp
Market Pantry
50/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate safe to eat?

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

What products contain Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate?

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate is found in 1,085 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate do in food?

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 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.