Compare E200 vs E263, Sorbic acid vs Calcium acetate

Overview

E200 - Sorbic acid

Sorbic acid (E200) is a common food preservative that helps stop molds and yeasts from growing. It works best in slightly acidic foods and has been used safely for decades in many everyday products. It often appears on ingredient lists as sorbic acid or simply E200.

E263 - Calcium acetate

Calcium acetate (E263) is a calcium salt of acetic acid used in foods to control acidity, help preserve freshness, and support texture. It is commonly found in bakery items and other processed foods where a mild acid and a source of calcium are useful. Safety reviews by regulators consider its approved uses to be acceptable.

Synonyms

E200

Sorbic acid

E263

Calcium acetate

Functions

preservative

acidity regulator stabilizer

Origins

Products

Found in 6,918 products

Found in 376 products

Search rank & volume

#2173.2K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

#12013.1K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

×0.07

under-aware

×5.03

over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 2 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.

Comparing E200 - Sorbic acid vs E263 - Calcium acetate