E282Preservative
Calcium propionate
What the research shows
Not enough
published research on this page yet
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.
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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.
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UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1973
No daily limit needed (“ADI not specified”, JECFA’s term for very low toxicity).
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 184.1221
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European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Preservatives
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating.
How we checkProducts
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
- 1calcium propionate: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
- 2Calcium propanoate. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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