Magnesium sulphate
Function: Acidity regulators
E518 is the European food-additive number for Magnesium sulphate, an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Magnesium sulphate (E518) is a flavour enhancer used as a food additive.
What is E518 used for?
Magnesium sulphate (E518) is an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Acidity regulators (E-numbers).
Is E518 safe or restricted?
E518 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No known concern” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E518 vegan or vegetarian?
Magnesium sulphate (E518) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E518?
E518 appears in 1,989 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Electrolyte / Sports Drink, Energy Drink, and Water.
- Electrolyte / Sports Drink386
- Energy Drink158
- Water138
- Baby Formula (Powder)130
- Sparkling Flavored Water122
- Dietary Supplements107
- Flavored Water104
- Protein Powder / Shake93
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E518 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E518
- What is E518?
- E518 is the E-number for Magnesium sulphate, an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Magnesium sulphate (E518) is a flavour enhancer used as a food additive.
- What is E518 used for?
- Magnesium sulphate (E518) is an acidity regulator — used to control and stabilise the pH of a food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E518?
- E518 appears in 1,989 of the 4.9 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Electrolyte / Sports Drink, Energy Drink, and Water. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E518 vegan or vegetarian?
- Magnesium sulphate (E518) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows product-specific vegan and vegetarian signals where available, based on ingredient and label data, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E518 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E518 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as ‘No known concern’ and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E518 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan and vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.