Magnesium Nitrate
Magnesium nitrate is not approved as a direct food additive in the U.S. As a nitrate salt, ingestion risks include methemoglobinemia at sufficiently high doses; nitrates can also form N-nitrosamines under some conditions.
What it is
An inorganic salt, Mg(NO3)2, used in fertilizers, pyrotechnics, and as a minor component of some cosmetic formulations.
Not a typical direct food additive; appears mainly in cosmetic and indirect food-contact contexts.
Why it's flagged
- nitrate ion — methemoglobinemia risk at high dose
- potential nitrosamine formation
- not a common direct food additive
What regulators actually say
"Magnesium nitrate appears in indirect food additive regulations relating to adhesives and components of coatings; FDA reviewed safety of mixture components, noting residual amounts of dimethylnitrosamine (DMNA), a carcinogenic impurity, in some formulations."
Regulatory status
United States — FDA
Not a direct food additive; appears in 21 CFR indirect food-contact substances regulations
European Union — EFSA
Not authorised as a food additive
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