Side-by-Side Comparison
Food Additives & E-Numbers
E251: Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpeter / Slow Curing) vs. E407: Carrageenan (Dairy Stabilizer Hydrocolloid)
Comparing 2 standards across 10 specifications. 10 key differences identified.
Comparing:
E251: Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpeter / Slow Curing)
E407: Carrageenan (Dairy Stabilizer Hydrocolloid)
E251 (Sodium Nitrate / NaNO3) is an inorganic salt serving as a slow-release chemical reservoir of nitrite in long-aged cured meats and hard cheeses. INS 251, ADI is 3.7 mg/kg bw/day, enzymatically reduced into nitrite over months of curing.
E407 (Carrageenan) is a high-molecular-weight sulfated polygalactan extracted from red edible seaweeds (Chondrus crispus / Irish Moss). INS 407, ADI is 75 mg/kg bw/day, famed for stabilizing cocoa suspension in chocolate milk via kappa-casein binding.
Specification Comparison Table
10 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
E-Number Code
|
E251 | E407 |
|
INS / Codex Number
|
INS 251 | INS 407 |
|
Functional Class
|
Preservative, Curing Agent, Antimicrobial | Thickener, Gelling Agent, Emulsion Stabilizer |
|
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
|
3.7 mg / kg body weight per day (as nitrate ion) | 75 mg / kg body weight per day |
|
Primary Mechanism
|
Micrococcus and Staphylococcus bacterial nitrate reductase slowly converts nitrate (NO3-) into bioactive nitrite (NO2-) | Negative sulfate esters cross-link with positive charges on milk kappa-casein micelles |
|
Common Target Foods
|
Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured salamis, Gouda cheeses (prevents late blowing by Clostridium tyrobutyricum) | Chocolate milks, whipping creams, plant-based milks, deli turkey meats (water binding) |
|
Dietary Compliance
|
Mineral synthesis, Halal, Kosher, Vegan compliance | 100% Vegan (Marine seaweed), Halal, Kosher |
|
Safety Approval
|
EFSA Authorized / FDA 9 CFR 424.21 | EFSA Authorized / FDA GRAS (21 CFR 172.620) |
|
Chemical Formula
|
NaNO3 | — |
|
Major Types
|
— | Kappa (Rigid brittle gel), Iota (Elastic thixotropic gel), Lambda (Non-gelling thickener) |
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