Question from Irene
Hi Debra, Is trisodium phosphate a natural additive? Is it safe? I see it listed as an ingredient in cereal. Thank you very much for your help!
Debra’s Answer
It’s natural in that it is a naturally occurring mineral, it’s not manmade. But it is considered a poison and is found in many cleaning products. It is commonly used to clean walls before painting.
But there is also a food grade trisodium phosphate that is used as a food additive. Apparently trisodium phosphate is added to cereals that go through an extruder–that’s anything that has a shape, like chex– to help them maintain their shape. Better to just eat the whole grain if you’re going to eat cereal (I don’t eat grains at all).
