Emulsifiers & thickeners · Food additive

Potassium carbonates (E501)

Updated October 2, 2026

Potassium carbonates (E501) is a food additive in the “emulsifiers & thickeners” group. It appears in 4,067 products in our database, 1,104 of them sold in the US.

Quick facts

Also known as
E501
E-number
E501
Function
Emulsifiers & thickeners
Found in
4,067 products (1,104 sold in the US)

Foods that commonly contain Potassium carbonates

Instant noodles 25% · 509
Cocoa powders 16% · 156
Noodles 5% · 106
Biscuits 1% · 105
Waters 2% · 103
Chocolate candies 1% · 103
Snacks 0% · 89

Share of published products in each category whose ingredient list includes Potassium carbonates.

Popular products with Potassium carbonates

Potassium carbonates-free alternatives

Popular products from the same categories that don't list Potassium carbonates and score Nutri-Score A–C.

How to spot Potassium carbonates on a label

Look for any of these names in the ingredient list:

Potassium carbonatesE501

Related additives

Frequently asked questions

What foods contain Potassium carbonates?

In our database, Potassium carbonates most often appears in instant noodles, cocoa powders, noodles and biscuits.

How many products contain Potassium carbonates?

4,067 published products on Foodmetria list Potassium carbonates, including 1,104 sold in the United States. Counts come from ingredient lists in Open Food Facts and update daily.

Product data: Open Food Facts (ODbL), updated daily. Additive information is for general education and is not medical advice. Always check the package label. Our methodology.