Food additive databasepreservativeChecked 2026-10-02
Sodium Propionate プロピオン酸ナトリウム
Designated additivePermitted in the EU (E281)
- Purpose
- preservative
- On the label
- “保存料（プロピオン酸Na）” (preservative (sodium propionate)), “保存料（プロピオン酸ナトリウム）” (preservative (sodium propionate))
- Name in the List of Designated Additives
- プロピオン酸ナトリウム (No. 373)
In Japan
- The sodium salt of propionic acid, a preservative that suppresses the growth of microorganisms. In Japan it can be used in cheese, bread and Western-style confectionery (standards for use).
- Because it is a preservative, it is written together with the purpose name, as in “保存料（プロピオン酸Na）” (preservative (sodium propionate)) (CAA, Attachment to the Food Labeling Standards guidance).
Japan's standards for use
- Cheese: up to 3.0 g/kg as propionic acid
- Bread and Western-style confectionery: up to 2.5 g/kg as propionic acid
- When used in cheese together with sorbic acids, the total of the amount as propionic acid and the amount as sorbic acid must be up to 3.0 g/kg
This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.
In the EU
- It is on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II) as E281.
Sources
- List of Designated Additives — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
- Standards for use and storage of each additive — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
- EU food additive database (Japanese translation) — MAFF (Japanese)
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex
- 消費者庁「食品表示基準について」別添 添加物1-1〜1-5（簡略名・用途名併記・一括名・栄養強化の範囲）東京都保健医療局の掲載版 (Japanese)
Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.