Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 138 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate138
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate currently appears in 138 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.

No specific concern flags are attached to Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 138 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 138 products

7" cake
Unknown
0/100
All-in-one super syrup
Unknown
95/100
Aragani, Diet Green Tea, Peach
Niagara Drinking Waters Inc.
60/100
Asst pullapart
Unknown
100/100
Baby back pork ribs in bbq sauce
Farmington Foods
95/100
Basha, premium hommus, original, original
Unknown
100/100
Beef Pho
Pholicious
100/100
Black Tea
Turkey Hill Dairy Inc.
100/100
Borden Jalapeno Dip 12oz
Unknown
95/100
Buffalo style white chicken pizza
Unknown
80/100
Cajun crab dip
Lakeview Farms Llc
95/100
Cajun marinade, cajun
Lawry's, Mccormick & Co. Inc.
100/100
Cake
Unknown
75/100
Cake
Unknown
50/100
Caramelized onion topped hummus
Signature Cafe
100/100
Carrots with ranch dip
Unknown
100/100
Cavi•art Black Seaweed Pearls Caviar Style
Unknown
100/100
Cheesecake
Kroger
50/100
Chiffon mist creme dessert
Unknown
0/100
Chipotle Molasses
Lawry's
95/100
Chocolate & vanilla premium ice cream cake, chocolate & vanilla
Uncle Harry's Inc.
0/100
Chocolate & vanilla with chocolate cookie crunch premium ice cream cake, chocolate & vanilla
Unknown
0/100
Christie's, golden greek dressing
Unknown
100/100
Classic Half Iced Tea & Half Lemonade
Turkey Hill
100/100
Cocktail sauce with fresh horseradish
Unknown
100/100
Cookies 'n cream ice cream cake, cookies 'n cream
Unknown
85/100
Cookies and creme mousse, cookies and creme
Unknown
95/100
Crab, spinach artichoke dip
Lakeview Farms Llc
100/100
Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Sweet Red Peppers And
Unknown
100/100
Cucina, peppercorn ranch dressing
Cucina
85/100
cupcakes
Unknown
75/100
Danish
Unknown
0/100
Decaf tea
Unknown
95/100
Decaf Tea
Persons-Majestic Mfg. Co.
95/100
Decaffeinated half & half lemonade & tea
Unknown
95/100
Deli recipes mediterranean dip
Unknown
100/100
Diet decaf orange tea
Unknown
70/100
Diet Green Tea
Turkey Hill Dairy Inc.
100/100
Diet Green Tea With Ginseng & Honey
Turkey Hill Dairy Inc.
100/100
Diet Green Tea, Ginseng & Honey
Turkey Hill
100/100
Diet iced tea
Turkey Hill, Turkey Hill Dairy Inc.
100/100
Diet Iced Tea
Turkey Hill Dairy Inc.
100/100
Diet Iced Tea
Turkey Hill
100/100
Diet Sweet Tea
Turkey Hill Dairy Inc.
95/100
Diet Sweet Tea
Turkey Hill
95/100
DIP
Unknown
100/100
Drink, Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade
Turkey Hill
100/100
Fishermans market cajun crab dip
Harris Teeter
95/100
French Style Champagne Vinaigrette, French Style Champagne
Food network kitchen
100/100
French style strawberry cheesecake
Unknown
50/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate safe to eat?

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate?

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate is found in 138 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate do in food?

Potassium Sorbate & Sodium Benzoate serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.