Potasyum alüminyum silikat

Detailed information

What it is & how it is made

Potassium aluminium silicate is obtained by mining and purifying the natural mineral mica.

Where it is used

Used as a carrier for colours. Under the EU and Turkish Food Codex framework its authorised use is limited to acting as a carrier for E 171 titanium dioxide and E 172 iron oxides at up to 90 percent relative to the pigment.

Health note

In its 2020 re-evaluation EFSA could not carry out a safety assessment because of very limited toxicological data and insufficient physicochemical characterisation. Theoretical calculations indicated that aluminium exposure from its use as a carrier could rise far above EFSA's tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 1 mg aluminium per kg body weight per week.

Halal assessment

Its source is a natural mineral, mica, and no animal input is reported in its production. The carrier or processing aid in the finished product may differ, so consult the manufacturer's halal certificate for a definitive answer.