Sodium tripolyphosphate is a kind of amorphous water-soluble linear polyphosphate, which is often used in food as a water retention agent, a quality improver, a pH adjuster, and a metal chelating agent.

Sodium tripolyphosphate is used in the food industry as an emulsifying agent and quality improver agent, for example, including processed meat processed seafood, processed cheeses, noodles product. It is used as quality improver in the process of canned food, fruit juice drinks, foodstuffs from milk or soybeans. It may tender the meat in canned ham and soften the skin of horse bean in canned horse bean. It may also serve as a softener or densifier in foodstuff industry.