E381 - ferric ammonium citrate

At a glance

• A brown or green, water‑soluble iron(III) citrate complex
• Used mostly to fortify foods and drinks with iron
• Found occasionally in fortified beverages, powders, and special diet foods
• Vegan and vegetarian friendly; not derived from animals
• Counts toward your daily iron intake

Why is ferric ammonium citrate added to food?

Food companies add ferric ammonium citrate to increase the iron content of a product. Iron is an essential mineral needed for making hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in your blood.¹ Because this salt dissolves well in water, it works in drinks and instant powders where some other iron salts do not. In international standards, it is listed as a “nutrient” additive for use in certain foods.²

What foods contain ferric ammonium citrate?

You are most likely to see E381 in:

• Fortified soft drinks and flavored waters
• Instant drink powders
• Specialized nutrition products (for example, diet or medical‑nutrition foods)

It is not common in everyday grocery items, and many manufacturers choose other iron salts instead.

What can replace ferric ammonium citrate?

Depending on the job in the recipe, formulators might use:

• Other iron sources, such as iron gluconate in some foods
• For acidity adjustment or buffering, citric acid or sodium citrates

Choice depends on taste, solubility, color, cost, and the target amount of bioavailable iron.

How is ferric ammonium citrate made?

Manufacturers produce ferric ammonium citrate by reacting citric acid with ammonia to form ammonium citrate, then introducing iron(III) (ferric) to create a soluble iron–citrate complex, which is filtered and dried. Food‑grade material must meet tight identity and purity criteria set in official specifications.³²

Is ferric ammonium citrate safe to eat?

In the European Union, ferric ammonium citrate (E381) is an authorized food additive with defined composition and purity requirements, including limits on contaminants.³ As with any iron source, overall safety depends on how much iron you consume from all foods and supplements. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) sets a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for iron of 45 mg per day for most adults; higher intakes can cause gastrointestinal upset and, in extreme cases, more serious effects.¹

Does ferric ammonium citrate have any benefits?

Yes. Its benefit is the same as iron itself: it helps prevent or correct iron deficiency by supplying absorbable iron. Adequate iron supports normal oxygen transport, energy metabolism, and cognitive function.¹

Who should avoid ferric ammonium citrate?

• People with iron overload disorders, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, should avoid extra iron unless advised by a clinician.⁴
• Individuals told to limit iron (for example, due to repeated blood transfusions or certain metabolic conditions) should check labels and consult their healthcare provider.¹

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Ferric” means it’s like rust and unsafe. Fact: “Ferric” just means iron in the +3 state (iron(III)); food‑grade ferric ammonium citrate must meet strict purity standards.³
• Myth: It always makes food taste metallic. Fact: At permitted use levels and in suitable recipes, most people do not notice a metallic taste.
• Myth: It is synthetic and therefore unhealthy. Fact: Safety depends on dose and purity, not whether an ingredient is natural or synthetic; regulations focus on both.³

ferric ammonium citrate in branded foods

Ingredient lists may show “ferric ammonium citrate,” “ammonium ferric citrate,” or “E381.” If you are tracking iron intake, check the Nutrition Facts panel for iron and the ingredient list for E381, especially on fortified beverages and powders.

References

Footnotes

1. Iron — Fact Sheet for Consumers. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. Ammonium ferric citrate (INS 381) — Codex GSFA Online, FAO. https://www.fao.org/gsfaonline/additives/details.html?id=381 ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 — Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

4. Hemochromatosis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/hemochromatosis ↩