Disodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; E385) in food: ingestion safety
Low risk(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Disodium EDTA presents low risk to human adults at typical food additive use levels. FDA approved for specific food categories (≤75 ppm); JECFA and EFSA ADI 2.5 mg/kg/day; typical dietary intake well below the ADI. No carcinogenicity. Primary concern is mineral chelation (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe2+) — relevant at the ADI level but minor at typical food exposure. The calcium disodium EDTA form (E385 in food) reduces calcium chelation risk. Heavy metal chelation therapy at IV doses involves a fundamentally different exposure context.
What is disodium edta (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; e385)?
The IUPAC name is disodium;2-[2-[carboxylatomethyl(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-(carboxymethyl)amino]acetate.
Also known as: disodium;2-[2-[carboxylatomethyl(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-(carboxymethyl)amino]acetate, EDTA disodium salt, Disodium EDTA, Edta disodium.
- IUPAC name
- disodium;2-[2-[carboxylatomethyl(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-(carboxymethyl)amino]acetate
- CAS number
- 139-33-3
- Molecular formula
- C10H14N2Na2O8
- Molecular weight
- 336.21 g/mol
- SMILES
- C(CN(CC(=O)O)CC(=O)[O-])N(CC(=O)O)CC(=O)[O-].[Na+].[Na+]
- PubChem CID
- 8759
Risk for people
Low riskDisodium EDTA presents low risk to human adults at typical food additive use levels. FDA approved for specific food categories (≤75 ppm); JECFA and EFSA ADI 2.5 mg/kg/day; typical dietary intake well below the ADI. No carcinogenicity. Primary concern is mineral chelation (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe2+) — relevant at the ADI level but minor at typical food exposure. The calcium disodium EDTA form (E385 in food) reduces calcium chelation risk. Heavy metal chelation therapy at IV doses involves a fundamentally different exposure context.
Regulatory consensus
3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Disodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; E385). The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IARC | 2004 | Not evaluated by IARC for carcinogenicity — Disodium EDTA (CAS 139-33-3; disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate; Na2EDTA; E385; a chelating agent) is FDA approved for specific food uses (21 CFR 172.120 — mayonnaise and salad dressings at ≤75 ppm as EDTA; 21 CFR 172.135 — canned legumes; 21 CFR 172.140 — canned carbonated beverages; 21 CFR 172.145 — canned shellfish and certain canned foods — each with specific maximum levels); EU E385 for specific food categories; JECFA ADI 2.5 mg/kg/day (as EDTA); EFSA opinion 2004 (EFSA Journal 2004;2:39) confirmed ADI 2.5 mg/kg/day — the same as JECFA; no IARC, EPA, or EFSA carcinogenicity classification; the primary food safety concern with dietary EDTA is its ability to chelate essential divalent minerals (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe2+) in the GI tract, potentially reducing their absorption — this concern is relevant primarily at the ADI level and above; at typical food use levels (≤75 ppm in specific products), dietary EDTA intake is estimated well below the ADI for most consumers; EDTA is widely used medically as a chelating agent for heavy metal poisoning (lead, mercury, cadmium) — this therapeutic use ('chelation therapy') involves much higher doses than food additive exposure | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 6 positive / 3 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 6 positive / 3 negative reports) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter disodium edta (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; e385)
- Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
- Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles
- Food — processed food, beverages, candy, baked goods
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Disodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; E385):
-
Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
What products contain disodium edta (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; e385)?
Disodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; E385) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments); processed food (Food).
Why do regulators disagree about disodium edta (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; e385)?
Disodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; E385) has been classified by 3 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Disodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; E385) in the food app
Look up products containing disodium edta (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; e385), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in food View raw API dataSources (1)
- Disodium EDTA CAS 139-33-3 Na2-EDTA C10H14N2Na2O8 E385 Chelating Agent; FDA 21 CFR 172.120 Mayonnaise ≤75 ppm 172.135 Canned Legumes 172.145 Shellfish; JECFA ADI 2.5 mg/kg/day; EFSA 2004 EFSA Journal 2:39 ADI 2.5 mg/kg/day; Log K: Ca2+ 10.7 Mg2+ 8.7 Fe3+ 25.7 Zn2+ 16.1 Metal Stability Constants; CaNa2EDTA Calcium Form E385 Pre-Loaded Calcium Reduces GI Chelation; Mineral Chelation Ca Mg Zn Fe Absorption Reduction Marginal Status Concern; IV CaEDTA Lead Poisoning Treatment Standard of Care Blood Lead >45 µg/dL; Chelation Therapy Alternative Medicine Not FDA Approved; Environmental Persistence Resistant Biological WWTP European Rivers Groundwater µg/L; Metal Mobilization Sediment Fe Cd Pb Hg; EDDS GLDA IDS Biodegradable Alternatives; Lipid Oxidation Pro-Oxidant Metal Sequestration Fe Cu; Mayonnaise Salad Dressing Canned Food Shelf Life (2004) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →