21 C.F.R. § 172.135
Disodium EDTA.
Cite as 21 C.F.R. § 172.135 (2026)
The food additive disodium EDTA (disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate) may be safely used in designated foods for the purposes and in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:
(a) The additive contains a minimum of 99 percent disodium ethylenedia-minetetraacetate dihydrate (C
10
H
14
O
8
N
2
Na
2
·2H
2
O).
(b) It is used or intended for use as follows:
(1) Alone, in the following foods at not to exceed the levels prescribed, calculated as anhydrous calcium disodium EDTA:
Food
Limitation (parts per million)
Use
Aqueous multivitamin preparations
150
With iron salts as a stabilizer for vitamin B
12
in liquid multivitamin preparations.
Canned black-eyed peas
145
Promote color retention.
Canned kidney beans
165
Preservative.
Canned strawberry pie filling
500
Promote color retention.
Cooked sausage
36
As a cure accelerator with sodium ascorbate or ascorbic acid.
Dressings, nonstandardized
75
Preservative.
French dressing
75
Do.
Frozen white potatoes including cut potatoes
100
Promote color retention.
Gefilte fish balls or patties in packing medium
1
50
Inhibit discoloration.
Legumes (all cooked canned, other than black-eyed peas)
165
Promote color retention.
Mayonnaise
75
Preservative.
Ready-to-eat cereal products containing dried bananas
2
315
Promote color retention.
Salad dressing
75
Preservative.
Sandwich spread
100
Do.
Sauces
75
Do.
1
Based on total weight of finished product including packing medium.
2
In dried banana component of cereal product.
(2) With calcium disodium EDTA (calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate; calcium disodium (ethylenedinitrilo) tetraacetate), in the following foods at not to exceed, in combination, the levels prescribed, calculated as anhydrous C
10
H
12
O
8
N
2
CaNa
2
:
Food
Limitation (parts per million)
Use
Dressings, nonstandardized
75
Preservative.
French dressing
75
Do.
Mayonnaise
75
Do.
Salad dressing
75
Do.
Sandwich spread
100
Do.
Sauces
75
Do.
(3) Alone, as a sequestrant in the nonnutritive sweeteners that are listed in § 180.37 of this chapter and that, in addition, are designed for aqueous solution:
Provided,
That the amount of the additive, calculated as anhydrous calcium disodium EDTA, does not exceed 0.1 percent by weight of the dry nonnutritive sweetener.
(c) To assure the safe use of the additive:
(1) The label and labeling of the additive container shall bear, in addition to the other information required by the act, the name of the additive.
(2) The label or labeling of the additive container shall bear adequate use directions to provide a final food product that complies with the limitations provided in paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) In the standardized foods listed in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section the additives are used only in compliance with the applicable standards of identity for such foods.
[42 FR 14491, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 65 FR 48379, Aug. 8, 2000]
- Cross-references to the CFR
- 180.37