Food additives permitted in the EU: preservatives
Below is a review of some of preservatives present in the list of food additives approved in the European Community on the basis of the European Commission regulation No 1129/2011 published on 11 November 2011. Such list is an amendment of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament, that was then modified in 2013. It is possible to consult the list in its entirety, in the different European languages and both in PDF and HTML format, by following the link in the References.
| E200, E201, E202, E203, E210, E211, E212, E213, E214, E215, E218, E219, E220, E221, E222, E223, E224, E225, E226, E227, E228, E234, E2355, E239, E242, E249, E250, E251, E252, E280, E282, E282, E283, E284, E285 |
| Preservatives: sorbic acid and its salts |
| E200 Sorbic acid |
| E202 Potassium sorbate |
| E203 Calcium sorbate |
| Preservatives: benzoic acid and its salts |
| E210 Benzoic acid |
| E211 Sodium benzoate |
| E212 Potassium benzoate |
| E213 Calcium benzoate |
| E214 Ethyl p-hydroxyhenzoate |
| E215 Sodium ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
| E218 Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
| E219 Sodium methyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
| Preservatives: sulphur dioxide and its salts |
| E220 Sulphur dioxide |
| E221 Sodium sulphite |
| E222 Sodium hydrogen sulphite |
| E223 Sodium metabisulphite |
| E224 Potassium metabisulphite |
| E226 Calcium sulphite |
| E227 Calcium hydrogen sulphite |
| E228 Potassium hydrogen sulphite |
| Other preservatives |
| E234 Nisin |
| E235 Natamycin (NATA, for surface treatment of cheeses and dried cured sausages) |
| E239 Hexamethylene tetramine (hexamine) |
| E242 Dimethyl dicarbonate |
| Preservatives: pickling salts |
| E249 Potassium nitrite |
| E250 Sodium nitrite |
| E251 Sodium nitrate |
| E252 Potassium nitrate (saltpetre) |
| Acids and their salts |
| E280 Propionic acid |
| E281 Sodium propionate |
| E282 Calcium propionate |
| E283 Potassium propionate |
| E284 Boric acid |
| E285 Sodium tetraborate: borax |
References
Bender D.A. “Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology” 8th ed. Woodhead Publishing. Oxford, 2006
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a Union list of food additives. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1129/2013-11-21