Dehydroacetic Acid & Sodium Dehydroacetate
INS 265 / INS 266
INS 265, INS 266, dehydroacetic acid, DHAA, sodium dehydroacetate, SDHA, sodium dehydroacetic acid
What it is
Dehydroacetic acid and sodium dehydroacetate are preservatives used to prolong shelf life by protecting food against deterioration caused by microorganisms. Codex identifies them as INS 265 and INS 266.
Why BOTIA flags it
Dehydroacetic acid and sodium dehydroacetate are preservatives: their purpose is to slow microbial spoilage, not to add flavour or nutrition. Codex assigns them INS 265 and INS 266, but inclusion in the INS does not imply Codex approval; the Codex GSFA lists no food-use provisions for either code. In the United States, direct food use is limited to cut or peeled squash, with no more than 65 ppm remaining expressed as dehydroacetic acid.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect dehydroacetic acid, sodium dehydroacetate and the Codex INS 265/266 identifiers when explicitly declared.
- Explain their preservative function, that INS identification is not the same as authorisation, and that permitted uses vary by jurisdiction.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine the concentration or whether a particular use complies with its legal maximum from the ingredient list alone.
- Infer their presence when they are not declared.