Sorbic acid intake in Austria compared with daily limits
What it found
In an Austrian intake estimate, sorbic acid stayed well below the acceptable daily intake for preschool children and adults.
The highest estimate was 30% of that limit in preschool children.
What they found
Studies in people
Average sorbic acid intake
In the average-intake scenario, sorbic acid intake was 7% of the acceptable daily intake in preschool children and 6% in adults.
High-intake sorbic acid
In the high-intake scenario, sorbic acid intake reached a maximum of 30% of the acceptable daily intake in preschool children.
Other preservatives
In the high-intake scenario, the acceptable daily intake was exceeded for sulphites among adults and for benzoic acid in all groups. Sorbic acid did not exceed it.
Other findings
Main food sources
The biggest contributors to sorbic acid exposure were fish and fish products, largely because this food group, including mayonnaise-containing fish salads, was eaten in large amounts. Other important sources were bread, buns and toast bread, and fruit and vegetable juices.
What the authors conclude
“Dietary intakes of sorbic acid are well below the ADI, accounting for a maximum of 30% of the ADI in preschool children.”
Also in their conclusions
- They report that dietary intakes of sorbic acid are well below the acceptable daily intake, accounting for a maximum of 30% of the ADI in preschool children.
How it was done
Scientists estimated how much sorbic acid, along with sulphites and benzoic acid, people in Austria took in from food. They used food consumption data for preschool children aged 3 to 6 years and for female and male adults aged 19 to 65 years, and preservative levels in food measured from January 2007 to August 2010.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is an estimate based on food consumption data and measured preservative levels, not a study that followed people and measured their health.
- It can show how much sorbic acid people likely took in compared with the acceptable daily intake, but it cannot show what health effects that intake had.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Austria
The paper
- Title
- Exposure assessment of food preservatives (sulphites, benzoic and sorbic acid) in Austria
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Mischek D, Krapfenbauer-Cermak C (2012). Exposure assessment of food preservatives (sulphites, benzoic and sorbic acid) in Austria. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment. doi:10.1080/19440049.2011.643415PubMed 22264192DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error