Calcium acetate
Function: Preservative
E263 is the European food-additive number for Calcium acetate, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. CALCIUM ACETATE is a chemical compound which is a calcium salt of acetic acid.
What is E263 used for?
Calcium acetate (E263) 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 E263 safe or restricted?
E263 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 E263 vegan or vegetarian?
Calcium acetate (E263) 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 E263?
E263 appears in 1,863 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sausages, cakes and pastry.
- Sausages376
- Cakes257
- Pastry215
- Pork (General)75
- Sweet Pastries48
- Duck41
- White Bread40
- Mycoprotein / Quorn28
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E263 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 E263
- What is E263?
- E263 is the E-number for Calcium acetate, a preservative — used to extend shelf life by slowing spoilage from microbes. CALCIUM ACETATE is a chemical compound which is a calcium salt of acetic acid.
- What is E263 used for?
- Calcium acetate (E263) 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 E263?
- E263 appears in 1,863 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sausages, cakes and pastry. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E263 vegan or vegetarian?
- Calcium acetate (E263) 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 E263 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E263 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 E263 — 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.