Potassium Nitrate

Chemical Formula: KNO₃

_{CAS No.: 7757-79-1}

_Discription:

Potassium nitrate is a white to dirty gray crystalline solid. Water soluble. Noncombustible, but accelerates the burning of combustible materials. If large quantities are involved in fire or the combustible material is finely divided an explosion may result. May explode under prolonged exposure to heat or fire. Toxic oxides of nitrogen are produced in fires. Used in solid propellants, explosives, fertilizers.

Potassium nitrate (salt petre) is widely used as a thickening agent in soups and stews such as Okrasoup. It is also used to soften food and reduce cooking time when boiling beans and tough meat. Salt petre is also an essential ingredient in making special porridges such as kunun kanwa literally translated from the Hausa language as ‘salt petre porridge’.