Phytic Acid (E391): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate) is a natural compound found in cereal grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, used as an antioxidant and metal-chelating sequestrant. By binding trace metals it slows oxidation, though the same chelation makes it a dietary antinutrient that can modestly reduce absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc when consumed in large amounts. As a normal component of plant foods it is safe at dietary levels; it is not authorised as an isolated food additive in the UK or EU.
- Category
- Antioxidant / Sequestrant
- Typically used in
- Naturally present in wholegrains and pulses; used as an antioxidant and sequestrant in fats and oils (used outside the EU/UK).
- Regulatory status
- Not authorised as an isolated additive E391 in the UK/EU; occurs naturally in plant foods.
Scrannr flags Phytic Acid automatically when you scan a barcode.
Where this comes from
- UK Food Standards Agency (2024) — Approved additives and E numbers https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-additives-and-e-numbers/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
Products containing Phytic Acid
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Phytic Acid, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
Let Scrannr read the label.
Scan a barcode and get the additives flagged in plain English, plus a clear health score. Free to download.