E916 - Calcium iodate
Synonyms: E916Calcium iodate
Function:
flour treatment agent
Products: Found in 308 products
Calcium iodate (E916) is an iodine-containing compound sometimes used to supply iodine or to treat flour. It is uncommon on everyday labels, but you may see it in certain baked goods or specialized products depending on local rules.
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At a glance
- What it is: A calcium salt of iodic acid that provides iodine.
- What it does: Can act as a flour treatment agent and iodine source.
- Where you find it: Occasionally in flours or baked goods in places where its use is allowed; overall rare on labels.
- Dietary notes: Not animal-derived. Relevant for people monitoring iodine intake.
- Label names: “Calcium iodate” or “E916.”
Why is Calcium iodate added to food?
Food makers may use calcium iodate to add iodine, an essential mineral, or to condition flour so dough handles better and bread quality is more consistent.1 As an iodine source, its role is to help meet dietary iodine needs within regulated limits.2
What foods contain Calcium iodate?
Where permitted, calcium iodate may appear in some flours and baked goods as a flour treatment agent. It can also be used as an iodine source in certain fortified products, though it is not widely used in everyday foods compared with other iodine compounds. Always check ingredient lists for “calcium iodate” or “E916.”3
What can replace Calcium iodate?
Alternatives depend on the goal:
- For dough strengthening: bakers often use ascorbic acid, enzymes such as alpha-amylase, or emulsifiers like mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids.
- For iodine fortification: manufacturers may use other iodine salts (for example, iodide or iodate salts), subject to local regulations.
How is Calcium iodate made?
Calcium iodate is typically produced by reacting iodic acid with a calcium source such as calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide, forming the stable salt Ca(IO3)2. Industrial methods may also start from calcium iodide and oxidize it to the iodate form.3
Is Calcium iodate safe to eat?
Safety depends on the amount used and the total iodine you get from all foods. In the European Union, calcium iodate is a listed food additive with official identity and purity specifications, and any use must follow food additive rules.1 Iodine is essential, but too much can affect thyroid function, so regulators set limits to keep intake within safe ranges.2
Does Calcium iodate have any benefits?
Yes. Its main benefit is supplying iodine, which the thyroid needs to make hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and development. Adequate iodine intake helps prevent deficiency disorders.2
Who should avoid Calcium iodate?
- People advised to limit iodine (for example, some with thyroid disorders) should review labels and discuss iodine sources with a clinician.2
- Individuals taking thyroid medication should ask their healthcare provider before using iodine-fortified products.2
Myths & facts
- Myth: “Iodine additives always give food a ‘seaweed’ taste.” Fact: At regulated levels, iodine salts do not give foods a noticeable iodine flavor.
- Myth: “All iodate and iodide compounds act the same in food.” Fact: Different iodine compounds can behave differently in recipes and processing, so manufacturers choose based on performance and local rules.
- Myth: “More iodine is always better.” Fact: Both too little and too much iodine can be a problem; balance matters.
Calcium iodate in branded foods
You may not see calcium iodate often on big-brand labels. If present, it usually appears in the ingredient list of certain flours or breads where its use is allowed. Because iodine can come from several sources, brands may choose different compounds or avoid iodine additives altogether—check labels for “calcium iodate” or “E916.”
References
Footnotes
-
Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩2
-
Iodine Fact Sheet for Health Professionals — National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
-
Calcium iodate (Compound Summary) — PubChem, National Institutes of Health. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Calcium-iodate ↩ ↩2
Popular Questions
How to calculate calcium iodate solubility in potassium iodate solution?
Use the dissolution Ca(IO3)2(s) ⇌ Ca2+ + 2 IO3− and Ksp = [Ca2+][IO3−]^2; with initial iodate C from KIO3, solve Ksp = s(C + 2s)^2 for molar solubility s (if C ≫ s, s ≈ Ksp/C^2).
How to calculate solubility of calcium iodate?
In pure water, let s be molar solubility: Ksp = s(2s)^2 = 4s^3, so s = (Ksp/4)^(1/3); convert to g/L by multiplying s by the molar mass of Ca(IO3)2.
How to calculate the concentration of iodate from calcium iodate in 0.1 kio3?
With [IO3−]0 = 0.1 M from KIO3, the iodate contributed by dissolving Ca(IO3)2 is 2s where s solves Ksp = s(0.1 + 2s)^2 (if 0.1 ≫ s, [IO3−] from Ca(IO3)2 ≈ 2Ksp/(0.1)^2).
How to calculate the concentration of iodate from calcium iodate in pure water?
For Ca(IO3)2 in water, [IO3−] = 2s with s = (Ksp/4)^(1/3), so [IO3−] = 2(Ksp/4)^(1/3) assuming activities ≈ concentrations.
How to find molar solubility of calcium iodate?
Write Ksp = [Ca2+][IO3−]^2; in pure water s = (Ksp/4)^(1/3), and in a solution with iodate C (common ion) s is given by Ksp = s(C + 2s)^2 ≈ Ksp/C^2 when C ≫ s.
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