Potassium Chloride

The inorganic potassium salt of hydrochloric acid and the principal commercial source of potassium for both food and pharmaceutical use. Approximately 52 percent elemental potassium by weight, the highest payload of any common potassium salt.

White or colorless crystalline powder or granules. Freely soluble in water with a salty, slightly bitter taste that closely approximates sodium chloride at moderate concentration, which is the basis of its use in sodium-reduction salt blends.

We supply food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Potassium Chloride from manufacturers in China holding ISO, FSSC 22000, Halal, Kosher, and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades include Standard Food Grade for fortification and salt-reduction blends, USP/EP/JP/BP Pharmaceutical Grade for oral and injectable potassium therapy, Sodium-Reduction Grade with controlled particle-size distribution to match sodium chloride blending behavior, and Direct-Compression Granulated grade for extended-release tablets.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering assay, potassium content, sodium content, heavy metals, and microbiology.

Potassium is the principal intracellular cation and is required for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction (including cardiac function), blood-pressure regulation, and acid-base balance. Daily requirements are approximately 3500 to 4700 mg in adults; intake in most Western populations is well below recommendation, while sodium intake is well above. The mismatch is a primary target of public-health nutrition policy.

Industrial Potassium Chloride is mined from underground potash deposits (sylvite and sylvinite) or recovered from brine evaporation, then purified, crystallized, and classified to specified particle-size distributions. Food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade material is supplied from controlled streams with tight specifications on heavy metals, sodium content, and microbiology.

Regulated as E508 in the EU, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA under 21 CFR 184.1622, listed in USP, EP, JP, and BP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA without a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake limit. The FDA in 2020 issued formal guidance permitting Potassium Chloride to be labeled as Potassium Salt on food packaging, removing a long-standing consumer barrier and accelerating sodium-reduction reformulation.

Compared to other potassium salts, Potassium Chloride offers the highest elemental potassium fraction (52 percent), lowest cost per milligram delivered, and the closest taste match to sodium chloride, which is decisive in salt-reduction applications. Potassium Citrate (38 percent potassium) offers a cleaner taste with citrate alkalinization benefits but at substantially higher cost. Potassium Gluconate and Potassium Bicarbonate occupy niche supplement positions.

The strategic position is twofold and very large in scale. In food, sodium-reduction reformulation driven by public-health policy is creating a structural growth tailwind for Potassium Chloride at the expense of sodium chloride, supported by FDA labeling guidance and WHO sodium-reduction targets. In pharmaceuticals, Potassium Chloride is the standard treatment for hypokalemia in both oral and intravenous forms, with stable long-term demand across hospital and outpatient channels.

• Low-sodium and reduced-sodium salt blends; the dominant sodium-substitution ingredient globally
• Pharmaceutical potassium therapy: oral tablets, capsules, oral solutions, and intravenous solutions for hypokalemia
• Potassium fortification of sports drinks, electrolyte beverages, and oral rehydration solutions
• Cured meats and processed meats; partial replacement of sodium chloride in heart-health formulations
• Cheese, bread, and bakery applications targeting sodium reduction
• Soup, sauce, and seasoning blends with reduced sodium
• Functional foods, meal replacements, and clinical nutrition formulas
• Animal feed potassium and electrolyte source
• Pharmaceutical excipient and electrolyte vehicle in oral and parenteral products