Sodium Propionate
Function: Preservative
E281 is the European food-additive number for Sodium Propionate, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. Sodium propanoate or SODIUM PROPIONATE is the sodium salt of propionic acid.
What is E281 used for?
Sodium Propionate (E281) is a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all preservatives (E-numbers).
Is E281 safe or restricted?
E281 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E281 vegan or vegetarian?
Sodium Propionate (E281) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E281?
E281 appears in 4,959 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, pastry and tortilla / wrap.
- Cakes1,121
- Pastry262
- Tortilla / Wrap247
- Sweet Pastries157
- Muffins137
- Goat Cheese111
- Extruded Snacks111
- Sandwiches110
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E281 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E281
- What is E281?
- E281 is the E-number for Sodium Propionate, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. Sodium propanoate or SODIUM PROPIONATE is the sodium salt of propionic acid.
- What is E281 used for?
- Sodium Propionate (E281) is a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E281?
- E281 appears in 4,959 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in cakes, pastry and tortilla / wrap. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E281 vegan or vegetarian?
- Sodium Propionate (E281) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E281 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E281 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E281 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.