Sodyum hidroksit

Detailed information

What it is & how it is made

Sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda, is a strong alkali. The EU specification requires solid forms to contain at least 98 per cent total alkali; it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air and converts to sodium carbonate.

Where it is used

In food it acts as an acidity regulator and is largely neutralised during processing. Its main uses are debittering olives, alkalising cocoa, and lye peeling of fruits and vegetables.

Health note

JECFA has placed this substance in the “ADI not specified” group, meaning no numerical daily intake limit was considered necessary; in the EU it appears in the Group I list of Regulation 1333/2008 and is used at “quantum satis”, the smallest amount technologically required. No health risk has been reported at normal food use levels.

Halal assessment

This substance is an inorganic mineral compound produced without animal raw materials, so no halal concern has been reported for the additive itself. The product as a whole should still be assessed: carriers or other ingredients in the formulation may be of animal origin.