Potassium Fluoride
Potassium fluoride is acutely toxic by ingestion (oral LD50 in rats ~245 mg/kg). Fluoride poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hypocalcemia, cardiac arrhythmia, and death at high doses.
What it is
An inorganic fluoride salt (KF). A highly toxic compound; not used in food.
Not approved or used as a food additive. Fluoride compounds in oral care use are typically sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate, not potassium fluoride.
Why it's flagged
- Potassium fluoride is highly toxic at industrial doses but the food-grade form is used at trace levels in some EU mineral water fortification and dental supplements. Severity reflects food-grade context.
- acute fluoride toxicity
- not an approved food additive
- narrow margin between therapeutic and toxic dose
What regulators actually say
"FDA has begun action to remove concentrated ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market ... ingested fluoride has been shown to alter the gut microbiome ... studies have suggested an association between fluoride and thyroid disorders, weight gain and possibly decreased IQ."
"Acute oral fluoride toxicity is well documented at doses producing systemic effects including hypocalcemia, cardiac arrhythmia, and death at high exposures."
Regulatory status
United States — FDA
Not listed as approved direct food additive; FDA recently moved to remove ingestible fluoride prescription products for children.
European Union — EFSA
Not authorized as direct food additive; fluoride in mineral water is regulated separately.
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