FDA Status
Approved
Thickener · EU 511
Magnesium Chloride
FDA status: Approved. EU: Approved. No U.S. state has enacted a specific ban yet.
3.0 / 5
Composite safety Mixed Evidence
Score 3 of 5
Magnesium Chloride: 3/5 (Mixed Evidence)
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Magnesium Chloride is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it independently of federal policy. Its composite safety score is 3 out of 5 (Mixed Evidence), and the European Union separately classifies it as approved. It is used in a moderate number of tracked products.
- 63th percentile by tracked product prevalence
The verdict
Magnesium Chloride is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it. It is used in a moderate number of tracked products (63th percentile by tracked product count).
- 3/5
- Mixed Evidence
- Approved
- FDA status
- 63th pctile
- by product prevalence
- 0
- state regulations
Magnesium Chloride (511) is a thickener additive holding a composite safety score of 3 out of 5 (Mixed Evidence). 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 Approved. This ingredient appears in approximately 60 tracked food products across our database. It is most commonly used as Sauces, soups, dairy products, baked goods.
No U.S. state has enacted specific legislation targeting Magnesium Chloride 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.
Peer-reviewed research has flagged 1 distinct area of health concern for Magnesium Chloride, which factors directly into the assigned safety score. The European Food Safety Authority has published an evaluation dated 2019/07/06. EFSA has noted an overexposure risk classification of "moderate" for typical consumption patterns. 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 | Approved | EC 1333/2008 |
| E-Number | 511 | EU additive register |
| CAS Number | - | CAS Registry |
| Category | Thickener | FDA functional class |
| Composite Safety Score | 3 / 5 (Mixed Evidence) | PlainIngredients methodology |
| EFSA ADI | Not established | EFSA scientific opinion |
| U.S. State Actions | 0 states | State legislative records |
| Tracked Products | 60 | 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
Approved
511
U.S. State Regulations
0 states
None enacted
Safety Assessment
Magnesium Chloride's 3/5 (Mixed Evidence) score reflects where this specific ingredient lands on that scale. The FDA has approved Magnesium Chloride for use in food products under specified conditions.
Research has identified 1 area of health concern associated with Magnesium Chloride. Consumers with specific health conditions should consult a healthcare provider before consuming products containing this ingredient.
How Magnesium Chloride compares
Where a safety score of 3/5 falls among all 4,509 scored ingredients tracked on PlainIngredients.
Ingredients by safety score (Magnesium Chloride highlighted)
25 of 4,509 scored ingredients (0.6%) share a safety score of 3/5.
What is Magnesium Chloride?
Magnesium Chloride is a food additive (511) classified as thickener.
Health Concerns
- EFSA evaluation: Re‐evaluation of hydrochloric acid -E 507-, potassium chloride -E 508-, calcium chloride -E 509- and magnesium chloride -E 511- as food additives. EFSA overexposure risk: moderate
Common Uses
Sauces, soups, dairy products, baked goods
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Magnesium Chloride safe to consume?
Magnesium Chloride has a safety score of 3/5 (Mixed Evidence). It is approved by the FDA for use in food. As with all food additives, moderation is advisable.
What is Magnesium Chloride used for in food?
Magnesium Chloride is commonly used as: Sauces, soups, dairy products, baked goods. It belongs to the Thickener category of food additives.
Is Magnesium Chloride banned in any US states?
Currently, no US states have enacted specific bans or regulations targeting Magnesium Chloride. However, state food safety legislation is evolving rapidly.
What is the difference between FDA and EU regulation of Magnesium Chloride?
The FDA classifies Magnesium Chloride as "Approved", while the EU status is "Approved" (511). 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 Magnesium Chloride?
Research has identified the following health concerns for Magnesium Chloride: EFSA evaluation: Re‐evaluation of hydrochloric acid -E 507-, potassium chloride -E 508-, calcium chloride -E 509- and magnesium chloride -E 511- as food additives. EFSA overexposure risk: moderate. These findings inform its safety score of 3/5. Consult a healthcare provider for personalized guidance, especially if you have pre-existing conditions.
How is the safety score for Magnesium Chloride calculated?
The safety score of 3/5 for Magnesium Chloride 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
What to do about Magnesium Chloride
Use the regulatory picture, not a single score, to decide.
- Check the FDA status (Approved) and EU status (Approved) 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.