Disodium EDTA

1. Wipe or rinse out the mouth. 
2. Give a serving size of water to drink.
3. Call 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.

Quick Facts About Disodium EDTA

Disodium EDTA is a white, odorless powder often used in foods and cosmetics. It is often added to foods such as soda, canned beans, salad dressings, and pickles. Your body doesn’t absorb disodium EDTA well when it’s swallowed, and it leaves the body quickly. It is not known to cause any side effects when eaten as a food preservative. 

Disodium EDTA is a chelator, which means it sticks or binds to metals. This helps preserve the color and flavor of foods and helps cosmetics last longer. Manufacturing processes often leave tiny amounts of metal behind in food and cosmetics. This microscopic metal residue can cause products to spoil faster. Disodium EDTA can find and trap the metal residue, which can extend the shelf life of food. 

Cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, and laundry detergents may also contain disodium EDTA as a preservative. It serves more than one purpose. In addition to keeping products fresh longer, it also increases foaming for better cleaning. 

How is calcium disodium EDTA different?

A related compound, calcium disodium EDTA, is sometimes used as a medicine for lead poisoning. It is a preservative too. Calcium disodium EDTA is also a chelator, and it can bind to extra lead to help it leave the body. This treatment, which is completed under the care of a healthcare provider, must be injected into a muscle or a vein because it doesn’t absorb well when swallowed. 

Treating lead poisoning with calcium disodium EDTA can cause serious side effects. The doses needed are much higher than what a person would eat in food. Calcium disodium EDTA can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and sometimes kidney injury. It can also remove metals needed in the body, like zinc, and cause levels that are too low. Therefore, it is only used for the sickest lead poisoning patients. 

Is it safe to eat?

Eating disodium EDTA as an additive in food is perfectly safe. But if you find someone has eaten a small amount of pure disodium EDTA powder, do not panic. Wipe out the mouth with a soft, wet cloth and give them some water to drink. Call the Missouri Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. The poison center is open all day, every day, for poisoning emergencies and questions.

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