Comparing E200 - Sorbic acid vs E216 - Propyl para-hydroxybenzoate
Overview
Synonyms
Products
Found in 6,918 products
Found in 77 products
Search rank & volume
Awareness score
Search volume over time
Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 4 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
Is sorbic acid bad for you?
Not for most people—it's a widely approved food preservative with low toxicity at permitted levels; rare individuals may experience mild irritation or digestive upset with high exposure.
Is sorbic acid safe for dogs?
Yes, when used at regulated amounts as a preservative in dog foods it’s considered safe; excessive intake may cause stomach upset in sensitive dogs.
Is sorbic acid safe?
Yes—it's approved in the EU (E200) and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in the U.S. at typical food-use levels, with adverse effects uncommon at those amounts.
What is sorbic acid made from?
Commercially it’s synthesized from crotonaldehyde and ketene; it also occurs naturally in small amounts in rowan (mountain ash) berries.
Is sorbic acid natural?
It occurs naturally in some fruits, but the sorbic acid used in foods is almost always synthetically produced and is chemically identical to the natural compound.
Is propylparaben safe?
At the low levels used in foods it’s considered safe by some regulators (e.g., FDA recognizes it as GRAS), but it is not permitted as a food additive in the EU.
Is propylparaben bad?
At permitted food-use levels it isn’t considered harmful by regulators that allow it; however, it is no longer authorized for use as a food additive in the EU.
What is propylparaben used for?
It’s an antimicrobial preservative (especially against molds and yeasts) used to extend shelf life in foods, and is also widely used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Are methylparaben and propylparaben safe?
Both are considered safe at the low levels allowed in foods by some regulators (e.g., FDA GRAS), but neither is currently authorized as a food additive in the EU.
Does propylparaben cause cancer?
There’s no good evidence that propylparaben causes cancer in humans, and major reviews have not classified it as carcinogenic; it shows weak estrogen-like activity in lab tests at doses far above typical dietary exposure.