Home > Community > Why is potassium ferrocyanide considered safe for consumption, when it is just one reaction away from the highly toxic potassium cyanide?
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MR HARRY

Why is potassium ferrocyanide considered safe for consumption, when it is just one reaction away from the highly toxic potassium cyanide?

According to this answer, heating potassium ferrocyanide will decompose it into potassium cyanide.

Now, potassium ferrocyanide is an approved anti-caking agent, and hence used in table salt, for example.

Table salt is often heated as part of cooking. So, isn't there a chance for trace quantities of potassium cyanide entering the body?

NB: I understand that the dosage here, if any, might not be lethal; am more concerned about trace amounts causing inefficiencies in bodily functions.

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