Information › Ingredients › Sorbic acid and sorbates
Potassium sorbate (E202) and sorbic acid: what they are and where they are
Updated on 4 November 2026
At a glance
- Kind
- Ingredient, not an allergen
- Also as
- sorbinezuur, kaliumsorbaat, calciumsorbaat, sorbaat, E200…
- Without sorbic acid and sorbates
- 37,470 products
- Contain it
- 4,454 products
- Supermarkets
- AH, Jumbo, PLUS, Dirk and Hoogvliet
What are sorbic acid and sorbates?
Sorbic acid and the sorbates (E200 to E203), mostly potassium sorbate (E202), slow down moulds and yeasts. They are in cheese, bread and cakes, sauces, dressings, soft drinks and wine.
Recognise
On a Dutch label as
- sorbinezuur
- kaliumsorbaat
- calciumsorbaat
- sorbaat
- E200
- E202
- E203
May also be it
- ‘preservative’ (conserveermiddel) without a name
Not sorbic acid and sorbates
- sorbitol (a sweetener)
- sorbitan esters (emulsifiers)
We look for these Dutch words in the ingredient list itself, also between brackets. If in doubt, read the pack.
Shopping
Per shelf where sorbic acid and sorbates are common (the shops’ own Dutch shelf names)
Examples without sorbic acid and sorbates
- Mogu Mogu BlackcurrantMogu Mogu · 320 mlDirk € 1,79Hoogvliet € 1,79Albert Heijn € 1,85Jumbo € 1,85PLUS € 1,85No allergens listed
- Calvé KnoflooksausCalvé · 320 mlDirk € 1,99Hoogvliet € 1,99Albert Heijn € 2,29Jumbo € 2,29PLUS € 2,29Contains: Cow's milk, Egg, Lactose, Milk, Mustard
- Croma SmeltjusCroma · 250 gDirk € 2,09Hoogvliet € 2,15Albert Heijn € 2,19Jumbo € 2,19PLUS € 2,19Contains: Cow's milk, Lactose, Milk, Soy
- Honig RoerbakmieHonig · 300 gDirk € 1,79Hoogvliet € 1,84Albert Heijn € 1,89Jumbo € 1,89PLUS € 1,89Contains: Egg, Gluten, WheatMay contain traces: Soy
- Jean Bâton Truffel mayonaiseJean Bâton · 135 mlDirk € 2,59Hoogvliet € 2,59Albert Heijn € 2,69Jumbo € 2,69PLUS € 2,69Contains: Egg, Mustard
- Croma Olijfolie vloeibaarCroma · 450 mlDirk € 4,19Hoogvliet € 4,32Albert Heijn € 4,39Jumbo € 4,39PLUS € 4,39Contains: Cow's milk, Lactose, Milk, Soy
All 37,470 products without sorbic acid and sorbates (in Dutch)
Which supermarket has the most without?
On the shelves where sorbic acid and sorbates are common: the share of products without it.
- Albert Heijn63%320 of 511
- Hoogvliet62%348 of 557
- PLUS62%796 of 1,283
- Dirk62%622 of 1,003
- Jumbo60%611 of 1,014
Brands without sorbic acid and sorbates
On the shelves where sorbic acid and sorbates are common, none of their products names it.
- Spa 48
- Red Bull 43
- Coca-Cola 31
- Snelle Jelle 23
- Maggi 22
- Lipton 21
- Fairtrade Original 15
- Oasis 12
- Fuze tea 12
- Sprite 11
- XXL Nutrition 10
- San Pellegrino 10
What to look for in the shop
- Read the ingredient list: it is there by its Dutch name or its E number, the same in every language.
- Watch compound ingredients between brackets: it is sometimes in there.
Good to know
Recently without sorbic acid and sorbates (8)These products named sorbic acid and sorbates on an earlier label, and no longer do.
What are sorbic acid and sorbates mostly in?Most often in the shelves ‘Oliën, sauzen & mixen’ (40% contains it), ‘Frisdranken’ (37% contains it) and ‘Mayonaise’ (57% contains it).
Most often in the shelves ‘Oliën, sauzen & mixen’ (40% contains it), ‘Frisdranken’ (37% contains it) and ‘Mayonaise’ (57% contains it). There is choice without it there too: 126 products on ‘Oliën, sauzen & mixen’, for example.
How do sorbic acid and sorbates read on a Dutch label?As sorbinezuur, kaliumsorbaat, calciumsorbaat, sorbaat, E200, E202 and E203.
As sorbinezuur, kaliumsorbaat, calciumsorbaat, sorbaat, E200, E202 and E203. We look for those words in the ingredient list itself, also in compound ingredients between brackets.
How many products contain sorbic acid and sorbates?4,454 of the 41,924 products with an ingredient list, about 11%.
4,454 of the 41,924 products with an ingredient list, about 11%. The other 37,470 do not name it.
Which supermarket has the most products without sorbic acid and sorbates?On the shelves where sorbic acid and sorbates are common: Albert Heijn (63% without), Hoogvliet (62% without), PLUS (62% without), Dirk (62% without) and Jumbo (60% without).
On the shelves where sorbic acid and sorbates are common: Albert Heijn (63% without), Hoogvliet (62% without), PLUS (62% without), Dirk (62% without) and Jumbo (60% without).
What is E202?E202 is potassium sorbate, the potassium salt of sorbic acid (E200).
E202 is potassium sorbate, the potassium salt of sorbic acid (E200). It is a preservative against moulds and yeasts; on a Dutch label it reads ‘conserveermiddel (kaliumsorbaat)’ or ‘conserveermiddel (E202)’.
A choice of your own, not an allergy
Sorbic acid and sorbates are not an allergen: whether you eat or use them is up to you. We show what the ingredient list says, so you can choose. Recipes change: if in doubt, the pack in your hand decides.
More ingredients under Ingredients; allergens under Allergies.
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