E202Preservative
What Is E202? Potassium Sorbate and Where It Is Used
Also known as: Potassium salt of sorbic acid
E202 is the additive number of potassium sorbate, a preservative that slows the growth of moulds and yeasts. It is common in sodas, cakes, cheese, olives and sauces.
- In the Besin database
- 909 products
- About 7.8 in every 100 products
- Source
- Synthetic
- Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
- 11 mg/kg body weight per day (as sorbic acid, shared by E200 and E202)
What does E202 do?
It works especially against moulds and yeasts, so it extends the shelf life of moist baked goods, cheeses, olives, sauces and fruit drinks. It works better in acidic foods.
How is it made?
Made by neutralising sorbic acid (E200) with potassium hydroxide. Sorbic acid was first obtained from rowan berries but is made by chemical synthesis today.
Vegan and halal: No animal raw material is used; it suits vegan and vegetarian diets.
Which products contain E202?
909 of the 11,663 packaged products in the Besin database list E202 (Potassium sorbate) in their ingredients. The categories where it appears most often:
- Soda66 products
- Mini Cakes63 products
- Kashar Cheeses45 products
- Black Olives39 products
- Hot Sauce37 products
- Flavored Mineral Water32 products
Numbers as of the database snapshot of October 18, 2026.
Official evaluation
EFSA set a temporary group ADI for sorbic acid and potassium sorbate in 2015. In its 2019 follow-up, based on a new reproductive toxicity study, it raised the group ADI to 11 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, expressed as sorbic acid. EU Regulation 2020/268 refers to this opinion.
Food additives are regulated by the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693). The ADI is the amount estimated to be safe to take every day over a lifetime, given per kilogram of body weight.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between E202 and E200?
E200 is sorbic acid itself and E202 is its potassium salt. Potassium sorbate dissolves better in water, so it is preferred in drinks and sauces; EFSA set one shared ADI for both.
Is E202 natural?
Sorbic acid occurs in rowan berries, but the potassium sorbate used in food is made by chemical synthesis.
Which products contain E202 most often?
In the Besin database it appears most often in sodas, mini cakes, kashar cheeses, black olives and hot sauces.
Related additives
Sources
- EFSA (2019): Follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202)
- the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693)
Last reviewed: . This page is for information only and is not medical advice. To report a mistake, write to iletisim@besin.app.