Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative

Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 256 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 As A Preservative 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 As A Preservative256
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 As A Preservative 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 As A Preservative currently appears in 256 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 As A Preservative 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 As A Preservative 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 As A Preservative
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 256 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 256 products

Ajam Bali
Conimex
100/100
Apricots
Big Win, Rite Aid Corporation
100/100
B4y, Dried Mixed Fruit
Rite Aid Corporation
100/100
Besitos De Coco
Topal
100/100
Better Value, Creamy French Style Dressing
The Federated Group Inc.
100/100
Blue cheese dressing, blue cheese
Unknown
85/100
Blue Cheese Italian Vinaigrette
Harris-Teeter Inc.
100/100
boba milk tea mochi
Unknown
100/100
Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea Mochi
Tropical Fields
100/100
California mission figs
Southern Grove
100/100
California Roll
Zenshi
35/100
California Salad Roll
Zenshi
100/100
Caramel Spread
Los Nietitos S.A.
95/100
Carrot Cake
Nemo's
100/100
Carved chicken club with bacon & ranch dressing sandwich, carved chicken club
Unknown
85/100
Champion dried fruit, figs dried mission
Champion Dried Fruit
100/100
Cheddar bacon ranch dip
Unknown
95/100
Chicken parmesan sliders with marinara sauce
Tgi Fridays
100/100
Chinese Noodles
Meetu
100/100
Chocolate chip gourmet cookie
Unknown
100/100
Chopped complete salad kit
Chef Select
100/100
Chow mein noodles
Unknown
100/100
Complete Salad Kit
Ready Pac
100/100
Country Maid, Egg Salad
Country Maid Inc
95/100
crafted market beef street tacos
Meijer
95/100
Cranberry Relish
Country Maid Inc
100/100
Cream Cheese Roll - Imitation Crab 10pc
ZENSHI
60/100
Cream cheesecake
Unknown
90/100
Crescent, prunes with pits
Crescent
100/100
Crunchy Shrimp Tempura Roll
ZENSHI
70/100
Dare, pure chocolate whippet cookies, raspberry
Dare
75/100
Del monte, large prunes with pits
Del Monte
100/100
Del monte, pitted prunes dried plums
Del Monte
100/100
Digiorno, parmesan grated parmesan cheese
Unknown
100/100
Digiorno, shaved parmesan cheese
Unknown
100/100
Digiorno, shredded asiago medium cheese
Unknown
100/100
Digiorno, shredded parmesan cheese
Unknown
100/100
Digiorno, shredded parmesan cheese
Unknown
100/100
Dill relish
Unknown
75/100
Dill relish
Unknown
75/100
Dill Relish
Heinz
75/100
Dressing
Miracle whip
100/100
Dressing
Target Stores
85/100
Dried Figs
Big Win, Rite Aid Corporation
100/100
Dried Plums Prunes
Roundy's
100/100
Dried plums whole prunes with pits
Unknown
100/100
Dried plums, pitted prunes
Unknown
100/100
Essentials, Roasted Vegetables & Red Quinoa With Brown Rice Burgers
Boca
100/100
Extra crispy chinese noodles
Unknown
100/100
Family gourmet, ranch dressing & dip, buttermilk
Family Gourmet, Family Dollar Stores Inc.
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative safe to eat?

Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative?

Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative is found in 256 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative do in food?

Potassium Sorbate As A Preservative 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.