What is E354?

Complete guide to understanding E354 (Calcium Tartrate) in your food

The Quick Answer

E354 is calcium tartrate, the calcium salt of tartaric acid—a naturally occurring organic acid found abundantly in grapes and other fruits.

It’s used in food primarily as an acidity regulator, preservative, and stabilizer—particularly important in wine production and preservation of canned fruits and vegetables.

E354 is one of the most “natural” food additives available: it’s literally a byproduct of wine fermentation and occurs naturally in all fruits. The body recognizes and metabolizes it as a normal dietary component from fruit consumption.

What Exactly Is It?

E354 is calcium tartrate, the calcium salt of tartaric acid (also called L-tartaric acid or L-(+)-tartaric acid).

Tartaric acid is a naturally occurring organic acid abundant in grapes and other fruits. When tartaric acid combines with calcium ions, calcium tartrate is formed—a white crystalline compound with unique properties, particularly its temperature-sensitive solubility.

Most calcium tartrate used in food industry is sourced as a byproduct of wine production, extracted from wine lees (the sediment left after fermentation) and grape marc (grape pulp residue). This makes it an economically valuable byproduct that would otherwise be waste.

Chemical composition:

• Molecular formula: C₄H₄O₆Ca or CaC₄H₄O₆
• Also appears as: Calcium L-tartrate dihydrate (with water molecules attached)
• Molecular weight: ~172-210 g/mol (depending on hydration state)
• CAS Number: 815-84-9 (anhydrous); 5743-26-0 (dihydrate)
• Chiral forms: L-form (levorotatory/natural), D-form (dextrorotatory/synthetic), and meso-form (DL/achiral)

How it’s made:

Two primary production methods:

• Method 1 – Wine industry byproduct (most common): Wine lees (fermentation sediment) and grape marc are treated to extract potassium bitartrate. Calcium tartrate is then separated from this mixture through precipitation or other separation methods. This is the dominant source.
• Method 2 – Synthetic production: Tartaric acid is synthesized chemically and reacted with calcium compounds to create calcium tartrate artificially.

Wine lees importance: Wine production generates enormous quantities of lees that previously had no economic value. E354 extraction from these lees creates value and is more sustainable than synthetic production, making it a “green” byproduct utilization.

Where You’ll Find It

E354 appears in a diverse range of food products:

• Wine (most important use) – critical for tartrate stabilization
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Lemonade and citrus beverages
• Desserts and puddings
• Ice cream
• Confectionery and candies
• Fish and seafood products (preservation)
• Seaweed products
• Preserved fruits and jams
• Baked goods and breads
• Beverages and fruit drinks
• Dressing and sauces
• Instant foods and powders

Regulatory use scope: EFSA approved for use in many food categories. In 2024, new EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1451 established specific use categories and maximum levels (following 2020 EFSA re-evaluation). Restrictions were placed on certain categories (notably infant biscuits and rusks).

E354 is widely used but often not prominently displayed on labels, as it appears simply as “acidity regulator” or “preservative” in ingredient lists.

Why Do Food Companies Use It?

E354’s primary function is pH buffering combined with temperature-sensitive precipitation for wine stabilization.

Food manufacturers use calcium tartrate for multiple strategic advantages:

• Acidity regulation: Controls and buffers pH in products
• Preservation: Extends shelf life by preventing spoilage and microbial growth
• Tartrate stabilization (wine): Prevents formation of unwanted tartrate crystals during storage (critical in wine industry)
• Temperature-sensitive precipitation: Forms crystals at cold temperatures, allowing controlled removal of excess tartrates before bottling
• Metal ion stabilization: Chelates/binds metal ions (calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium) that cause turbidity or unwanted reactions
• Color preservation: Maintains product color stability; antioxidant capacity
• Flavor stability: Prevents off-flavors from metal ion contamination or oxidation
• Brownning prevention: Prevents oxidative browning of products
• Water retention: Improves texture and moisture content in some products
• Natural origin perception: From fruit byproducts—appeals to “clean label” consumers
• Byproduct utilization: Economical use of wine industry waste; sustainable production
• Thermal stability: Stable at processing temperatures
• Chemical inertness: Doesn’t react with food ingredients or affect flavor negatively

Unique wine application: E354 is nearly irreplaceable in wine production. Its temperature-sensitive solubility allows winemakers to selectively precipitate tartrate crystals by cooling wine, then filtering them out—achieving “tartrate stability” without harsh treatments. This is critical for premium wines where consumers expect crystal-free bottles after chilling.

Is It Safe?

E354 is approved by major regulatory authorities and is considered safe for food use.

Regulatory approval:

• FDA approved: Generally used in food with no official safety objections
• EFSA approved: Listed in Commission Regulation as authorized food additive; recently re-evaluated (2020)
• JECFA approved: Group ADI 240 mg/kg body weight per day (set 2020, expressed as tartaric acid) for tartaric acid and tartrates (E334-E337, E354)
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Approved
• International approval: Approved by virtually all regulatory bodies worldwide

2020 EFSA Re-evaluation findings:

The most recent comprehensive safety assessment established:

• Group ADI: 240 mg/kg body weight per day (for all tartaric acid and tartrate additives combined)
• Safety confirmed: No genotoxicity (genetic damage)
• No reproductive effects: Safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding
• No carcinogenicity: No evidence of cancer-causing potential
• Margins of safety: Adequate safety margins established
• Result: Removal from “Group I” (unlimited use) to specific use categories with maximum levels

Safety profile:

• Natural occurrence: Found in all fruits, particularly grapes; consumed naturally in wine and fruit products
• Metabolism: Body metabolizes tartaric acid normally; it’s processed as a dietary acid like citric acid
• Decades of safe use: Centuries of use in wine production without documented safety incidents
• No documented adverse effects: No widespread adverse effects from food consumption at normal levels
• Low bioaccumulation: Does not accumulate in tissues; metabolized and excreted
• Oral toxicity studies: Studies show no toxicity at approved food use levels

Important regulatory change (2024): EU Regulation 2024/1451 established specific use categories and withdrew authorizations in certain food categories, including infant biscuits and rusks. This represents a precautionary approach for vulnerable populations, despite overall safety confirmation.

Natural vs Synthetic Version

E354 is naturally derived (byproduct of wine) or synthesized:

Source and production:

• Natural source: Wine lees and grape marc (fermentation byproducts) – dominant source
• Synthetic source: Chemical synthesis from tartaric acid reacted with calcium compounds
• Final product: Chemically identical regardless of source
• Chiral preference: Natural (from wine) is L-form; synthetic can be L-form, D-form, or DL (mixture)

Perceived “naturalness”: E354 is one of the most “natural” additives available, especially when sourced from wine lees. It’s literally a byproduct of an ancient fermentation process, making it “natural origin” by any reasonable definition.

Vegetarian/vegan/dietary status:

• Vegan: Yes—no animal products; byproduct of plant fermentation
• Vegetarian: Yes
• Kosher: Yes (pareve)
• Halal: Yes (when from non-alcoholic grape sources or after wine processing)
• Gluten-free: Yes
• Dairy-free: Yes

Natural Alternatives

Want to avoid E354 or looking for alternative acidity regulators?

Some alternatives include:

• E334 (Tartaric acid) – The parent acid; acidifying function
• E330 (Citric acid) – Most common acidifier; different flavor profile
• E296 (Malic acid) – Apple acid; naturally occurring
• E260 (Acetic acid) – Vinegar; strong acidifier
• E270 (Lactic acid) – Occurs in fermented foods
• E335-E337 (Sodium/potassium tartrates) – Alternative tartrate salts
• E331-E333 (Sodium/potassium/calcium citrates) – Citrate-based alternatives
• Natural fruit juices – Contain natural tartaric acid and other acids
• Wine or vinegar – For some applications
• Accept natural variation: Store at proper temperatures; accept some crystallization

Related Tartrate Additives

E354 is part of the tartrate additive family:

• E334 (Tartaric acid): L-(+)-tartaric acid; the acidic parent compound
• E335 (Sodium tartrates): Sodium salts of tartaric acid; varying degrees of neutralization
• E336 (Potassium tartrates): Potassium salts of tartaric acid
• E337 (Sodium potassium tartrate): Mixed sodium-potassium salt (Rochelle salt)
• E354 (Calcium tartrate): Calcium salt of tartaric acid

Key difference: E354 provides calcium rather than sodium or potassium, and has unique temperature-sensitive precipitation properties not shared by other tartrate salts—making it especially valuable for wine and preservation applications.

The Bottom Line

E354 (calcium tartrate) is a naturally occurring compound derived from grapes and wine, used as an acidity regulator and preservative.

It’s found in wine (critical application), canned fruits and vegetables, beverages, desserts, and confectionery—where it provides pH buffering, preservation, and tartrate stabilization.

E354 is approved by the FDA, EFSA, JECFA, and virtually all regulatory bodies worldwide with an established group ADI of 240 mg/kg body weight per day (set 2020).

Key advantages: E354 is exceptionally “natural” as it’s a direct byproduct of wine fermentation extracted from wine lees. You’re already consuming it regularly through wine, grapes, and other grape products. The 2020 EFSA re-evaluation confirmed safety; the 2024 EU regulatory changes reflect precautionary restrictions rather than safety concerns.

Unique wine industry role: E354’s temperature-sensitive precipitation properties make it nearly irreplaceable in wine production for achieving tartrate stability without harsh treatments.

For consumers: E354 is an excellent choice—one of the safest and most “natural” additives available. Its wine industry origins make it genuinely natural-origin (not synthetic), and its long history of safe use is reassuring.

Industrial significance: E354 production represents efficient utilization of wine industry waste (lees), converting a byproduct into valuable additive—an excellent example of circular economy and sustainable food production.