Potassium magnesium salt (carnallite) from the Dead Sea as a novel food: bromide ≤ 0.40 %, bromate < 1 mg/kg, identity confirmed by X-ray diffraction — uses restricted by the bromide TDI
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1530, published on 31 July 2025, authorises from 20 August 2025 potassium magnesium trichloride hexahydrate (carnallite) from BK Giulini GmbH of the ICL group as a salt substitute in raw and cooked cured meat, sausages and cereal-based dishes, labelled as “potassium magnesium mineral salt”. EFSA asked for narrower uses because of the bromide content — the applicant originally wanted to use the salt in, among others, bread and frozen pizza.
- Specification: identity positive by X-ray diffraction, melting range 149.6–160.2 °C, water at 180 °C (crystallisation water and moisture) 32–40 %; chloride 40–42 %, potassium 11.0–13.6 %, magnesium 7.9–8.9 %, sodium ≤ 2.75 %, calcium ≤ 0.2 % (w/w); bromide ≤ 0.40 %, strontium ≤ 25, boron ≤ 10, iron ≤ 4.0, manganese ≤ 3.0 mg/kg, chlorate < 0.2, bromate < 1, nitrite < 10, nitrate < 400 mg/kg; arsenic, cadmium and lead < 0.1, mercury < 0.05 mg/kg; salt-tolerant microorganisms < 100 CFU/g.
- EFSA data: X-ray diffraction of six batches — KMgCl3·6H2O 80–93 %, MgCl2·6H2O 3–16 %, NaCl 2–5 %. Potassium by ICP-OES (EN ISO 11885) or ICP-MS (EN ISO 17294-2); chloride by potentiometric titration; bromide by ion chromatography (EN ISO 10304-1): 0.35–0.40 g/100 g in three batches, total bromine (ICP-MS) 0.42–0.43 g/100 g in three others. Bromate — tested at EFSA’s request because the brine evaporates in the sun in ponds (reaction of bromide with ozone) — < 1 mg/kg in all three batches.
- Bromide: at the 95th percentile intake of the product (67.04 mg/kg bw per day in young children) and 0.4 % bromide, exposure is 0.27 mg/kg bw per day; together with the dietary background of 0.1 mg/kg bw it stays within the TDI of 0.4 mg/kg bw per day adopted by the EFSA Scientific Committee on 20 November 2024.
- Maximum levels: 1 050 mg/100 g in raw cured meat and sausages, 700 mg/100 g in cooked cured meat, 600 mg/100 g in cereal-based dishes. Where the amount of potassium or magnesium is significant within the meaning of Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, it must be given in the nutrition declaration. The applicant’s data are protected until 20 August 2030.