Sodium sulfate is a chemical compound, sodium salts of sulphuric acid.

It appears as a fine, white, crystalline powder or colourless crystals, soluble in water and practically insoluble in ethanol.

What it is used for and where

Food

An ingredient included in the list of European food additives as E514, it acts as an acidity regulator and is a strong salting agent.

Medical

Sodium sulphate is an osmotic laxative when taken in large quantities.

Cosmetics

Bulking agent. It regulates the water content, dilutes other solids, can increase the volume of a product for better flow, acts as a buffer against organic acids, helps to keep the pH of the mixture within a certain level.

Viscosity control agent. It controls and adapts viscosity to the required level for optimal chemical and physical stability of the product and dosage in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. 

Safety

EFSA's Panel on Food Additives provided a scientific opinion reviewing the safety of sulphuric acid (E513) and its salts of sodium (E514), potassium (E515), calcium (E516) and ammonium (E517) when used as food additives. The Panel observed that exposure to sulphates at the mean and 95th percentile in the non-labelled scenario, as well as in the other scenarios, is far below the 300 mg/kg dose that induced a laxative effect in humans. On the basis of the available toxicological database, the Panel concluded that exposure to sulphuric acid (E513), sodium sulphate (E514), potassium sulphates (E515), calcium sulphate (E516) and ammonium sulphate (E517) does not raise safety concerns for the stated uses and use levels and no numerical Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is required (1).

Other Uses

• Paper and glass production
• Fabric production to reduce negative electrical charge
• Drying organic liquids
• Moisture absorber

• Molecular Formula   H₂₀Na₂O₁₄S
• Molecular Weight      322.20
• CAS  7727-73-3
• UNII    0YPR65R21J
• EC Number   231-820-9    

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), Younes, M., Aquilina, G., Castle, L., Engel, K.H., Fowler, P., Fürst, P., Gürtler, R., Gundert‐Remy, U., Husøy, T. and Mennes, W., 2019. Re‐evaluation of sulphuric acid and its sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium salts (E 513, 514 (i), 514 (ii), 515 (i), 515 (ii), 516 and 517) as food additive. EFSA Journal, 17(10), p.e05868.