E282Preservative

Calcium propionate

What the research shows

Not enough

published research on this page yet

A preservative made from propanoic acid.

It helps keep bread and other foods from spoiling.12

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • EU permitted

What research says

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

  • Food poisoning outbreak3

    In one outbreak, flour tortillas with high calcium propionate were linked to stomach illness in about 700 people.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

What expert reviews concluded

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.

Regulatory status

Checked Sep 2026

Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.

How we check

Products

The 6 most-scanned of 9,768 products on Open Food Facts that list calcium propionate.

  • Pain de mie longue conservation Harrys · 250 g 1 additive
  • Seed Sensations Seven Seeds Hovis · 800 g 3 additives
  • Original Crumpets Warburtons · 6 4 additives
  • Mini Bagels The Original Brottery · 5 2 additives
  • Wholemeal Warburtons 5 additives
  • Original Crumpets Warburtons · 9 4 additives

References

  1. 1calcium propionate: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
  2. 2Calcium propanoate. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
  3. 3Varo V, Leinonen E, Markkula A, et al. Calcium propionate in tortillas - a likely cause of a large outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness, Finland, 2023. Euro Surveill. 2026;31(11). doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2026.31.11.2600185