Potassium Additives in Ultra-Processed Foods Identified from Food Label-Analysis: More than Meets the Eye

Nutritional guidelines for managing hyperkalaemia in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) emphasise an individualised approach, focusing on adjusting dietary potassium intake by selecting low-potassium foods and avoiding ultra-processed food (UPF). However, little is known about potassium additives in UPFs. Therefore, this study aimed to assess i) the prevalence of UPFs containing potassium additives across three supermarket chain stores, ii) which food categories most frequently contained potassium additives, iii) which potassium additives were most common and iv) which functional class were most common among potassium additives.

A cross-sectional label-analysis was conducted from September 2024 to December 2025. UPFs were identified according to the NOVA classification system. Three supermarket chain stores in Denmark were selected to capture a representative range of products. Products were examined via the supermarkets' online platforms and assigned to twelve predefined food categories, and the potassium additives they contained.

After analysing 5,884 UPFs, 27.8% of the products contained at least one potassium-based additive, while the presence of potassium additives was unknown for 6.5% of the products. Across all categories, products containing at least one potassium additive were most frequently observed in non-alcoholic beverages (70.9%), sauces (57.0%), fish, seafood and derivatives (44.5%), fruit, vegetables and derivatives (30.1%) and ready-to-eat products (29.6%). The most frequent potassium additive was E202 (potassium sorbate, 60.6%) followed by E950 (Acesulfame K, 19.7%) and E501 (Potassium carbonates, 8.8%).

Potassium additives are widespread in UPFs and can be a hidden source of potassium, particularly in non-alcoholic beverages, sauces, and fish, seafood and derivatives. These findings underline the importance of dietary guidance for individuals with CKD at risk of hyperkalaemia and raise awareness of additive exposure in food choices.