Food additive databaseKeeps food longerChecked 2026-09-27
Sorbic acid / potassium sorbate (preservative) ソルビン酸・ソルビン酸K
Food additiveStricter rules abroad
- Purpose
- prevents microbial growth and extends shelf life (preservative)
- On the label
- “保存料（ソルビン酸K）” (preservative (potassium sorbate)), “保存料（ソルビン酸）” (preservative (sorbic acid))
Flagged additives are marked when you use the Ingredient Checker (choose others).
In Japan
- The rule is to write the purpose and the substance name side by side, as in “保存料（ソルビン酸K）” (preservative (potassium sorbate)).
- The FSCJ has evaluated the ADI for sorbic acids at 25 mg per kg of body weight per day.
Under stricter rules abroad
Category: Stricter rules abroad
- In 2019, based on new reproductive toxicity data, EFSA set the ADI for sorbic acid and potassium sorbate at 11 mg per kg of body weight per day (less than half of Japan's evaluation).
Substances labeled this way
Related pages
Sources
- Food Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) (Japanese)
- EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
- Food Safety Commission of Japan (Japanese)
Last checked 2026-09-27. Rules change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
The categories are not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies.