Orthophenyl phenol
Function: Preservative
E231 is the European food-additive number for Orthophenyl phenol, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. Orthophenyl phenol (E231) is a preservative used as a food additive.
What is E231 used for?
Orthophenyl phenol (E231) 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 E231 safe or restricted?
E231 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 E231 vegan or vegetarian?
Orthophenyl phenol (E231) 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 E231?
E231 appears in 7 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pork (general), sour candy and beef (general).
- Pork (General)2
- Sour Candy1
- Beef (General)1
- Instant Noodles1
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E231 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 E231
- What is E231?
- E231 is the E-number for Orthophenyl phenol, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. Orthophenyl phenol (E231) is a preservative used as a food additive.
- What is E231 used for?
- Orthophenyl phenol (E231) 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 E231?
- E231 appears in 7 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pork (general), sour candy and beef (general). Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E231 vegan or vegetarian?
- Orthophenyl phenol (E231) 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 E231 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E231 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 E231 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.