Preservative

Preservative: 3.5/5 average safety

According to the FDA SAFFA-derived category taxonomy PlainIngredients uses, Preservative ranks #9 of 24 by ingredient count (55 additives), with an average composite safety score of 3.5 out of 5 across the category. 2 are classified as banned by the FDA.

  • #9 of 24 by ingredient count
  • Category average safety: 3.5/5
  • 2 banned ingredients in this category

55 ingredients in this category.

Where Preservative sits by ingredient count

Preservative holds 55 additives among 24 SAFFA-derived categories (inventory size, not a safety ranking).

Preservative vs all categories by ingredient count

Where this category's ingredient COUNT sits among every non-empty PlainIngredients category

55 9th of 24 higher than 15 of 24 categories

Categories, banded by ingredient count

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more categories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) Inventory · 2026-09-05

4
Acetic Acid
Low Risk · Approved
2
Benzoic Acid
Caution · Approved
4
Benzole Peroxide
Low Risk · Approved
2
BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)
Caution · GRAS
3
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
Mixed · GRAS
4
Biphenyl
Low Risk · Approved
4
Calcium Acetate
Low Risk · Approved
2
Calcium Benzoate
Caution · Approved
4
Calcium Disodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Calcium Disulphite
Low Risk · Approved
4
Calcium Propionate
Low Risk · GRAS
4
Calcium Sorbate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Carbon Dioxide
Low Risk · Approved
4
Dimethyl Dicarbonate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Disodium Phosphate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Ethyl P-Hydroxybenzoate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Hexamethylene Tetramine
Low Risk · Approved
4
Isopropyl Citrates
Low Risk · Approved
4
Lysozyme
Low Risk · Approved
4
Methyl P-Hydroxybenzoate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Monosodium Phosphate
Low Risk · Approved
5
Natamycin
Safe · GRAS
5
Nisin
Safe · GRAS
4
Orthophenyl Phenol
Low Risk · Approved
4
Potassium Acetate
Low Risk · Approved
2
Potassium Benzoate
Caution · Approved
1
Potassium Bromate
Banned · Banned
2
Potassium Metabisulphite
Caution · Approved
2
Potassium Nitrate
Caution · Approved
4
Potassium Nitrite
Low Risk · Approved
4
Potassium Propionate
Low Risk · Approved
5
Potassium Sorbate
Safe · GRAS
4
Propionic Acid
Low Risk · Approved
1
Propylparaben
Banned · Banned
5
Rosemary Extract
Safe · GRAS
4
Sodium Acetate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Sodium Acetates
Low Risk · Approved
3
Sodium Benzoate
Mixed · GRAS
2
Sodium Bisulphite
Caution · Approved
4
Sodium Diacetate
Low Risk · Approved
3
Sodium Metabisulfite
Mixed · GRAS
2
Sodium Metabisulphite
Caution · Approved
2
Sodium Nitrate
Caution · Approved
2
Sodium Nitrite
Caution · Approved
4
Sodium Orthophenyl Phenol
Low Risk · Approved
2
Sodium Phosphates
Caution · Approved
4
Sodium Propionate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Sodium Sorbate
Low Risk · Approved
2
Sodium Sulphite
Caution · Approved
5
Sorbic Acid
Safe · GRAS
2
Sulphur Dioxide
Caution · Approved
3
TBHQ (Tertiary Butylhydroquinone)
Mixed · GRAS
5
Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
Safe · GRAS
4
Trisodium Phosphate
Low Risk · Approved

Source: FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) Inventory, EU Food Additive Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008

Compare beyond this category

Nationwide categories with similar additive profiles

Two PlainIngredients-derived peer sets for Preservative: closest on tracked ingredient count (55 here) and closest on mean composite safety score (3.5/5 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-category strip.

Similar ingredient count

Nearest other SAFFA categories by mapped additive count (floored at ≥10).

8 peers

Similar mean additive safety

Nearest other categories by average mapped safety score (floored at ≥10 scored additives), distinct from the count row.

4 peers

Other Categories

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Every figure on PlainIngredients is rendered directly from FDA, EU, EFSA and U.S. state regulatory records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.