INS 385 is the code for Calcium disodium EDTA
Locks up trace metals that would otherwise turn oils rancid or discolour the food. Used in mayonnaise, sauces, canned goods and some drinks.
- What it does
- Binds stray metals A sequestrant
- Also printed as
- Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate
- Vegetarian?
- Vegetarian Made chemically
- In the Zabel score
- 6 of the 20 additive points Method 1.0.0
- In our catalogue
- 20 packs List it in their ingredients
Is INS 385 vegetarian?
INS 385 is made chemically, so it does not by itself make a food non-vegetarian. The green or brown mark on the pack is still the declaration to go by, because it covers every other ingredient too.
Too few packs in our catalogue list INS 385 for a breakdown by food to mean anything yet. We print one once at least 20 categorised packs carry it.
What does the evidence say about INS 385?
We grade an additive by the evidence about it, not by whether it sounds like a chemical, and we make no claim about whether a pack complies with FSSAI rules.
JECFA sets an ADI of 2.5 mg/kg body weight. Because it binds metals it can also bind dietary minerals; at permitted food levels this effect is small, but it is the reason the ADI is low relative to other sequestrants.
Does Zabel mark INS 385 down?
Yes, by 6 points. The additives part of the score starts at 20, and each code takes off a fixed amount set by the strength of the evidence about it, not by the fact that it is an additive (method 1.0.0). Read the method.
Questions people search
What is INS 385?
INS 385 is the code for Calcium disodium EDTA, a sequestrant. Locks up trace metals that would otherwise turn oils rancid or discolour the food. Used in mayonnaise, sauces, canned goods and some drinks.
Is INS 385 vegetarian?
INS 385 is made chemically, so it does not by itself make a food non-vegetarian. The green or brown mark on the pack is still the declaration to go by, because it covers every other ingredient too.
What does the evidence say about INS 385?
JECFA sets an ADI of 2.5 mg/kg body weight. Because it binds metals it can also bind dietary minerals; at permitted food levels this effect is small, but it is the reason the ADI is low relative to other sequestrants.
Does Zabel mark INS 385 down?
Yes, by 6 points. The additives part of the score starts at 20, and each code takes off a fixed amount set by the strength of the evidence about it, not by the fact that it is an additive (method 1.0.0).
What other names is INS 385 printed under?
Packs also print it as Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, or as the bare number 385 in brackets after the ingredient.
Sources
- 01 Evaluations of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) WHO / FAO, 2024
- 02 Zabel catalogue - pack counts, food categories and the codes printed alongside 4 Nov 2026
Entry updated 19 Sep 2026 · Not reviewed by a dietitian yet · Report an error on this page
Point the camera at the pack.
Zabel reads every INS code on it, shows the score, and shows the working.