Potassium sorbate

Potassium sorbate (CAS 24634-61-5), also known as E202, is a broad-spectrum preservative used in food, beverage, and personal care manufacturing.

Where is Potassium sorbate used?

• Food and beverage: preserves baked goods, dairy products, wines, and soft drinks
• Cheese and dried fruit: direct application controls surface spoilage
• Personal care: protects lotions, shampoos, and wet wipes from microbial contamination
• Food packaging coatings and surface treatments
• Combined with other preservatives it provides broader antimicrobial coverage in complex formulations.
• With sulfur dioxide, forms a barrier against spoilage organisms.

Good to know: It inhibits mold, yeast, and fungi; typically used at low concentrations to meet regulatory limits without affecting taste or color.

Formulation notes

• Should not be used in yeast-leavened bakery products.
• Should not be combined with nitrites.

Typical specification

• Assay calculated on dried substance is 99.0-101.0%.
• Loss on drying at 105°C is maximum 1.0%.

Regulatory status

• Regulated in the US as a food additive and GRAS substance under 21 CFR Parts 170-186, specifically 182.3640 and 182.90.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Store away from direct light.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.