FDA Status
Approved
Firming Agent · CAS 977007-61-6
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na)
FDA status: Approved. EU: not separately listed. No U.S. state has enacted a specific ban yet.
4.0 / 5
Composite safety Low Risk
Score 4 of 5
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na): 4/5 (Low Risk)
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it independently of federal policy. Its composite safety score is 4 out of 5 (Low Risk).
The verdict
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it.
- 4/5
- Low Risk
- Approved
- FDA status
- -
- EU status
- 0
- state regulations
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na), CAS 977007-61-6, is a firming agent additive holding a composite safety score of 4 out of 5 (Low Risk). According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Substances Added to Food inventory, it is currently classified as Approved, while the European Union lists it as not separately listed. It is most commonly used as firming agent.
No U.S. state has enacted specific legislation targeting Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) to date, keeping federal FDA classification as the operative standard. State-level food safety legislation remains active nationally, and that picture may shift as new bills advance.
No major peer-reviewed health concerns are presently documented for Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) at consumer exposure levels, though scientific review is ongoing and positions can shift. All figures above draw on FDA SAFFA inventory records, EU food additive regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, EFSA scientific opinions where published, and legislative records from individual U.S. states.
Regulatory Snapshot
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Status | Approved | FDA SAFFA |
| EU Status | Not separately listed | EC 1333/2008 |
| E-Number | - | EU additive register |
| CAS Number | 977007-61-6 | CAS Registry |
| Category | Firming Agent | FDA functional class |
| Composite Safety Score | 4 / 5 (Low Risk) | PlainIngredients methodology |
| EFSA ADI | Not established | EFSA scientific opinion |
| U.S. State Actions | 0 states | State legislative records |
| Tracked Products | Not yet tracked | Open Food Facts (US) |
Values reflect official agency classifications as published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union's regulatory framework. See our methodology for scoring details.
EU Status
Not specified
U.S. State Regulations
0 states
None enacted
Safety Assessment
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na)'s 4/5 (Low Risk) score reflects where this specific ingredient lands on that scale. The FDA has approved Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) for use in food products under specified conditions.
How Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) compares
Where a safety score of 4/5 falls among all 4,509 scored ingredients tracked on PlainIngredients.
Ingredients by safety score (Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) highlighted)
4,369 of 4,509 scored ingredients (96.9%) share a safety score of 4/5.
What is Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na)?
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) (CAS 977007-61-6) is an FDA-regulated food substance used as firming agent.
Common Uses
firming agent
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) safe to consume?
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) has a safety score of 4/5 (Low Risk). It is approved by the FDA for use in food. As with all food additives, moderation is advisable.
What is Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) used for in food?
Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) is commonly used as: firming agent. It belongs to the Firming Agent category of food additives.
Is Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) banned in any US states?
Currently, no US states have enacted specific bans or regulations targeting Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na). However, state food safety legislation is evolving rapidly.
What is the difference between FDA and EU regulation of Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na)?
The FDA classifies Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) as "Approved", and the EU may apply different standards. The FDA and EU use separate evaluation frameworks, the EU often applies the precautionary principle, sometimes banning additives that remain approved in the US. Always check both jurisdictions when evaluating food additive safety.
What health concerns are associated with Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na)?
No major health concerns have been widely documented for Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) at this time. It holds a safety score of 4/5 (Low Risk). As with all food additives, ongoing scientific review may identify new findings.
How is the safety score for Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) calculated?
The safety score of 4/5 for Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na) is a composite assessment based on FDA regulatory status, EU approval status, published scientific research on health effects, and state-level legislative actions. A score of 1 means "Banned / Avoid" and 5 means "Generally Safe." The score is updated as new regulatory actions or scientific evidence emerge.
Data Sources
- FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) Inventory
- EU Food Additive Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008
- State food safety legislation and bill records
Related Firming Agent Ingredients
What to do about Alum (double Sulfate of Al and Nh4, K, or Na)
Use the regulatory picture, not a single score, to decide.
- Check the FDA status (Approved) and EU status (unlisted) before assuming it is risk-free. How we score
- Compare it against the most-restricted additives in the U.S. supply. View rankings
- Scan a whole ingredient label at once to flag the concerning entries. Label checker
Safety scores summarise regulatory status and published concerns; they are not medical or dietary advice.
Every figure on PlainIngredients is rendered directly from FDA, EU, EFSA and U.S. state regulatory records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.