Preservatives in Gastronomy: What Must Appear on Your Menu

Introduction

Preservatives extend the shelf life of food by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms — bacteria, yeasts, and moulds. In gastronomy, they appear in a wide range of products: from cured meats and condiment sauces to wines and soft drinks. E-numbers E200 through E299 cover the most important preservatives approved for use in the EU.

What Are Preservatives?

Preservatives are substances that protect food from microbial spoilage. They work by inhibiting or destroying the bacteria, yeasts, and moulds that cause food to degrade, become unsafe, or develop off-flavors. They are distinct from physical preservation methods — refrigeration, heat treatment, drying, vacuum packing — which achieve similar goals without chemical additives.

Key Preservatives at a Glance

Sorbic acid and sorbates (E200–E203)

Sorbic acid and its salts — potassium sorbate (E202) and calcium sorbate (E203) — are among the most widely used preservatives globally. They are broad-spectrum, well tolerated, and effective primarily against moulds and yeasts. Typical applications include cut and processed cheese, baked goods, margarine, and desserts. In food service, they appear frequently in purchased processed products — always check supplier ingredient lists.

Benzoic acid and benzoates (E210–E213)

Benzoic acid works most effectively in acidic food (pH below 4.5) and is therefore used in soft drinks, fruit-based sauces, mayonnaise, and marinades. EU maximum levels vary by product category and must be observed in product sourcing. Note: benzoic acid can interact with ascorbic acid (E300) to form benzene under certain conditions — a factor managed by manufacturers.

Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (E220–E228)

This group combines preservative and antioxidant functions. Particularly common in wine, dried fruit, horseradish preparations, and potato products. Their critical additional significance for food service operators: sulphites are simultaneously a mandatory EU allergen, requiring declaration as both an additive and an allergen above 10 mg/kg. Covered in detail in the dedicated section below.

Nitrites and nitrates (E249–E252)

Curing salts are the central preservatives in meat and sausage products. Their function and associated labeling obligations are covered in the next section.

Propionic acid and propionates (E280–E283)

Propionic acid is used primarily in bread and baked goods to prevent mould growth. Particularly common in industrially produced bread with extended shelf life.

Natamycin (E235)

Natamycin is a naturally occurring antibiotic applied to the surface of cheese and sausage products to prevent surface mould. It does not penetrate into the product interior and is approved in the EU only for surface application.

Nitrites and Nitrates in Cured Meats (E249–E252)

Nitrite curing salt — sodium nitrite (E250), potassium nitrite (E249) — and nitrates (E251, E252) serve a dual function in the production of cured meat products. They reliably inhibit Clostridium botulinum — the pathogen responsible for potentially fatal botulism — and they generate and stabilize the characteristic reddish-pink color of cured products through a chemical reaction with myoglobin.

The health debate around nitrites has been ongoing for decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen in 2015, with nitrites considered a contributing factor: during heating, they can react with amines to form nitrosamines, classified as carcinogenic. In response, the EU has progressively lowered the permitted maximum levels for nitrites in meat products. For food service operators, the health discussion is relevant context for guest conversations — but it does not affect the labeling obligation.

In practice, virtually all cured sausage and meat products contain nitrite: ham, salami, frankfurters, bologna, smoked pork, and similar items. Nitrite-free alternatives exist but remain a niche market with limited availability. The labeling obligation is clear: for every dish containing a cured product, the menu must carry the notation „with preservative.“

Sulphur Dioxide — Preservative AND Allergen

Sulphur dioxide (E220) and the related sulphite compounds (E221–E228) occupy a unique position among preservatives: they are simultaneously a food additive and a mandatory EU allergen. For restaurant operators, this creates a double declaration obligation.

As a preservative, sulphur dioxide and sulphites must be indicated with the phrase „with preservative“ on the menu. As an allergen, they must additionally be declared under the allergen labeling rules of the EU FIC Regulation — with visual emphasis (bold type, italics, or underlining) in ingredient lists. Both obligations apply simultaneously from a content of 10 mg/kg in the final product (or 10 mg/l for beverages).

Typical sources in food service:

• Wine — virtually every conventionally produced wine exceeds the 10 mg/l threshold
• Dried fruit — apricots, raisins, and cranberries with often very high sulphite content
• Horseradish and horseradish preparations
• Potato products — pre-cut fries, dried mashed potato flakes
• Beer and cider — both naturally occurring and added sulphites

Labeling Requirements for Preservatives

The obligation to declare preservatives on the menu derives from EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 (FIC Regulation) and the EU Food Additives Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008. The legal standard:

The notation „with preservative“ must appear as a footnote or explanation — typically using a numbering or lettering system, with a legend at the foot of the menu that decodes each symbol. The exact wording may vary, but it must be clearly understandable to guests.

Practical tips:

• Systematically review all supplier ingredient lists for E-numbers in the E200–E299 range
• Do not overlook beverages: wine (E220), soft drinks (E211 or E200), fruit juices
• For sulphur dioxide: both the additive notation and the allergen declaration with emphasis are required
• Update your menu labeling immediately whenever a supplier changes a product formulation

Natural Preservation as an Alternative

The „clean label“ trend — the growing consumer preference for products with minimal artificial additives — has influenced both the food industry and food service. Natural preservation alternatives are increasingly available:

Physical methods: Refrigeration, vacuum packing, pasteurisation, and high-pressure processing (HPP) can fully or partially replace chemical preservatives in many product categories.

Traditional natural preservation: Vinegar (acidification), salt (osmotic pressure and water activity reduction), sugar (osmosis in preserves and jams), and smoking (phenolic compounds with antimicrobial properties) have centuries of proven practice.

Natural extracts: Rosemary extract (E392, technically an antioxidant rather than a preservative under EU classification), fermented ingredients such as whey powder or vinegar cultures, and bioprotective starter cultures increasingly substitute for synthetic preservatives in manufacturer formulations.

Limitations: A complete elimination of chemical preservatives is technically challenging in certain product categories. For cured meat products in particular, the reliable inhibition of Clostridium botulinum by nitrite has not yet been fully replicated by any natural alternative — a food safety consideration that constrains the clean label movement in this category.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which preservatives must be declared?

All preservatives contained in products on your menu must be labeled with the note „with preservative.“ The most common ones relevant to food service are sorbic acid (E200) in cheese and baked goods, benzoic acid (E210) in soft drinks and sauces, sulphur dioxide (E220) in wine and dried fruit, and nitrite curing salt (E250) in sausage and cured meat products.

The information is available on your suppliers‘ ingredient lists — request product data sheets if ingredient lists are unclear or incomplete. Critically important: sulphur dioxide and sulphites (E220–E228) must additionally be declared as an allergen whenever the final product contains more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l. In this case, a double declaration applies — one notation as a food additive and a separate allergen declaration with visual emphasis (bold, italic, or underlined). Both declarations appear on the menu, typically through a footnote system with a legend.

Are nitrites in cured meats dangerous?

Nitrites (E249–E252) in cured meats are the subject of ongoing scientific and public debate. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen in 2015 — meaning there is sufficient evidence of cancer risk in humans. Nitrites are considered one contributing factor: during high-temperature cooking, they can react with amines to form nitrosamines, classified as carcinogenic compounds. The EU has responded by progressively tightening the maximum permitted levels for nitrites in meat products.

At the same time, nitrites serve an essential food safety function: they reliably inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the pathogen responsible for potentially fatal botulism. Without nitrites, the safe production of many traditional cured products would not be achievable under current technologies. The EU’s position is to permit nitrites at the lowest level that still provides the required safety function. For restaurant operators, the health debate provides useful context for guest conversations — but independent of that discussion, the labeling obligation is clear: for every dish containing a nitrite-cured product, the menu must state „with preservative.“

Are there natural alternatives to preservatives?

Yes, several natural preservation methods are well established and growing in availability. Physical methods such as refrigeration, vacuum packing, pasteurisation, and high-pressure processing can fully replace chemical preservatives in many product categories. Traditional natural preservation techniques — vinegar, salt, sugar, and smoking — have been used for centuries and remain relevant both in manufacturing and in food service.

More recent approaches use natural extracts and bioactive ingredients: rosemary extract and other plant-derived phenolic compounds act as antioxidants; bioprotective starter cultures and fermented ingredients produce lactic acid and other antimicrobial compounds naturally. Many food manufacturers now use these alternatives to support „without preservatives“ or „clean label“ claims. The limitation remains in specific high-risk categories: for cured meat products, the safety function of nitrite against Clostridium botulinum has not yet been fully and reliably replicated by any available natural alternative, making a complete switch technically and safety-wise challenging.

Must „with preservative“ appear on the menu?

Yes — if any dish or beverage on your menu contains a product with preservatives, this must be indicated. The most common and legally compliant method is a footnote system: you assign a number or letter (for example, a superscript ³) to the affected dishes and explain it in a legend at the foot of the menu as „with preservative.“ This applies to all dishes and beverages without exception.

Last updated: March 2026 · ChinaYung — Allergen labeling for food service