Phosphoric acid

What you need to know

Phosphoric acid gives colas their sharp, tangy bite and helps stop microbes growing.

High intakes of phosphate — mainly from drinking a lot of cola — have been linked in some studies to lower bone density and to enamel erosion, though overall diet matters more.

It is approved everywhere; the practical caution is regularly drinking large amounts of dark soft drinks.

Where it stands, by region

The same additive can be approved in one country and banned in another. This is the divergence that matters most.

🇦🇺AU / NZ	Approved Permitted (FSANZ Food Standards Code).
🇪🇺EU	Approved Permitted; 2019 group ADI for phosphates flags high-consumer exposure.
🇺🇸US	Approved Permitted (FDA).
🇨🇦CA	Approved Permitted (Health Canada).

Health evidence

How settled the science is for each area — not how dangerous. “Unknown” means not enough good studies yet.

Hyperactivity & behaviour

Unknown

Allergy & intolerance

Unknown

Gut microbiome

Unknown

Metabolic effects

Bone density in very high cola intake

Suspected

Carcinogenicity

Unknown

Cardiovascular

Suspected

H₃PO₄. EFSA set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg bw/day (as phosphorus) in 2019, noting high consumers can exceed it.

Synthesis: Synthetic (mineral-derived)ADI 40 mg/kg bw/day (group, as P)