Preservatives

Extends shelf life by protecting against microorganisms.

111 additives that at least one regulator lists as preservatives: 66 by Canada, 63 by United States and 42 by Codex Alimentarius. Each mark shows the term that regulator used; follow it for the citation.

A function is not a permission. Being listed here says what a regulator treats the additive as, not that it is permitted in any particular food or place — its own page shows that. Where a regulator leaves a cell empty, it has not assigned this function in the sources this site reads; it may assign another, or none.

The US column is the least complete. Only some US listings name their technical effect by citing 21 CFR 170.3(o); many, especially in part 172, describe their use in their own words, and this site does not read a function into that prose. An empty US cell says little.

AdditiveCAUSCodex
4-Hexylresorcinol E586Preservative——
Acetic acid E260PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Acidified sodium chlorite solutions—Antimicrobial agent—
Ammonium persulfate—Antimicrobial agent—
Ascorbic acid E300PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Ascorbyl palmitate E304Preservative——
Ascorbyl stearate E304(ii)Preservative——
Benzoic acid E210PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Benzoyl peroxide INS 928——Preservative
Butylated hydroxyanisole E320PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Butylated hydroxytoluene E321Preservative——
Calcium acetate E263——Preservative
Calcium ascorbate E302Preservative——
Calcium benzoate E213—Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Calcium chloride E509—Antimicrobial agents—
Calcium disodium EDTA E385——Preservative
Calcium propionate E282PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Calcium sorbate E203PreservativePreservativePreservative
Carbon dioxide E290—Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Carnobacterium divergens M35Preservative——
Carnobacterium maltaromaticum CB1Preservative——
Catalase (bovine liver)—Antimicrobial agent—
Cetylpyridinium chloride—Antimicrobial agents—
Chemicals for controlling microorganisms in cane-sugar and beet-sugar mills—Antimicrobial agent—
ChitosanPreservative——
Chlorine INS 925—Antimicrobial agent—
Chlorine dioxide E926—Antimicrobial agent—
Citric acid E330PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol E472cPreservative——
Dehydroacetic acid—Antimicrobial agent—
Dimethyl dicarbonate E242PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Disodium cyanodithioimidocarbonate—Antimicrobial agent—
Disodium EDTA INS 386——Preservative
Disodium ethylenebisdithiocarbamate—Antimicrobial agent—
Disodium phosphate E339—Antimicrobial agent—
Erythorbic acid E315PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Ethyl alcohol—Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agent—
Ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate E214——Preservative
Fumaric acid E297—Antimicrobial agent—
Guaiac resin INS 314Preservative——
Hexamethylene tetramine E239——Preservative
Hydrogen peroxide—Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agent—
Isopropyl citrate INS 384——Preservative
L-Cysteine E920Preservative——
L-Cysteine monohydrochloridePreservative——
Lactic acid E270—Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agent—
Lauric arginate ethyl ester E243Preservative—Preservative
Lecithin E322Preservative——
Lecithin citratePreservative——
Leuconostoc carnosum 4010Preservative——
Long-chain glycolipidsPreservative——
Lysozyme E1105—Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Malic acid E296—Antimicrobial agent—
Methylparaben E218PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Modified vinegarPreservative——
Monochloroacetic acid—Antimicrobial agent—
Monoglyceride citratePreservative——
Monoisopropyl citratePreservative——
Natamycin (pimaricin) E235Preservative—Preservative
Nisin preparation E234PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Ozone—Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agent—
Phosphoric acid E338—Antimicrobial agent—
Potassium acetate E261Preservative—Preservative
Potassium acid tartrate E336—Antimicrobial agents—
Potassium benzoate E212PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Potassium bisulfite E228PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Potassium diacetatePreservative——
Potassium lactate E326Preservative——
Potassium metabisulfite E224PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Potassium N-methyldithiocarbamate—Antimicrobial agent—
Potassium nitrate E252PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Potassium nitrite E249Preservative—Preservative
Potassium propionate E283——Preservative
Potassium sorbate E202PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Potassium stearate—Antimicrobial agent—
Potassium sulfite INS 225——Preservative
Propionic acid E280PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Propyl gallate E310Preservative——
Propylene glycol E1520—Antimicrobial agent—
PropylparabenPreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agent—
Quaternary ammonium chloride combination—Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agent—
Sodium acetate E262PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium acid phosphate INS 339(i)—Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium ascorbate E301Preservative——
Sodium benzoate E211PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium bisulfite E222PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium diacetate E262PreservativeAntimicrobial agentsPreservative
Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate—Antimicrobial agent—
Sodium dithionitePreservative——
Sodium erythorbate (Sodium isoascorbate) E316PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Sodium lactate E325PreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Sodium metabisulfite E223PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium methyl p-hydroxybenzoate E219Preservative——
Sodium nitrate E251PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium nitrite E250PreservativeAntimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium percarbonate—Antimicrobial agents—
Sodium propionate E281PreservativeAntimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Sodium propyl p-hydroxybenzoatePreservative——
Sodium saccharin E954—Antimicrobial agent—
Sodium sorbatePreservativeAntimicrobial agent—
Sodium sulfite E221Preservative—Preservative
Sodium thiosulfate INS 539——Preservative
Sorbic acid E200Preservative—Preservative
Sulfur dioxide E220—Antimicrobial agentPreservative
Sulfurous acidPreservative——
Tartaric acid E334Preservative——
TBHQ E319Preservative——
Thiourea—Antimicrobial agent—
Tocopherols INS 307aPreservative——
Trisodium phosphate INS 339(iii)——Preservative
Wood smokePreservative——