E281Preservative
Sodium propionate
What the research shows
No concerns
none of the findings here link it to harm
What research says
Studies in people
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Benefit
Energy burning3
In 18 healthy adults, sodium propionate raised resting calorie burning and fat burning during the study.
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Benefit
Cholesterol and blood sugar4
In people with HIV, taking sodium propionate daily for 12 weeks improved cholesterol, blood sugar and self-reported quality of life.
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Benefit
Blood sugar after meals5
Sodium propionate in barley bread slowed stomach emptying and lowered blood sugar and insulin in healthy 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 184.1784
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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 2,774 products on Open Food Facts that list sodium propionate.
- Big Mac McDonald's · 232 g 18 additives
- Chai & Quinoa loaf promise Gluten Free 9 additives
- Multi Grain Loaf Promise Gluten Free · 480 g 8 additives
- Suga free frollini senza zucchero gullón · 330 g 3 additives
- Lemon Cakes Mr. Brownie · 200 g 9 additives
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Hillshire Farm · 9 oz 4 additives
References
- 1Sodium propionate: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
- 2Sodium propionate. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 3Chambers ES, Byrne CS, Aspey K, et al. Acute oral sodium propionate supplementation raises resting energy expenditure and lipid oxidation in fasted humans. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2018;20(4):1034-1039. doi:10.1111/dom.13159
- 4Brauckmann V, Nambiar S, Potthoff A, et al. Influence of dietary supplementation of short-chain fatty acid sodium propionate in people living with HIV (PLHIV). J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2022;36(6):881-889. doi:10.1111/jdv.18006
- 5Darwiche G, Ostman EM, Liljeberg HG, et al. Measurements of the gastric emptying rate by use of ultrasonography: studies in humans using bread with added sodium propionate. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;74(2):254-8. doi:10.1093/ajcn/74.2.254