Potassium sorbate
E202
E202, INS 202, potassium sorbate, potassium salt of sorbic acid, sorbato potásico, sorbate de potassium, Kaliumsorbat, sorbato di potassio
What it is
Potassium sorbate is a preservative. It is there to stop things from going off: it prevents moulds and yeasts from growing. It is found in sliced bread, grated cheese, margarine, soft drinks and many sauces. On the label it appears as E202.
Why BOTIA flags it
In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, which followed 105,000 people for years, the women who consumed the most potassium sorbate had more breast cancer diagnoses than those who consumed the least.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E202, potassium sorbate and sorbic acid salts when they are declared on the label.
- Explain its use in food and show the Woman and E-number information layers.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine how much potassium sorbate a product contains when the amount is not declared.
- Determine from the ingredient list whether a person’s intake corresponds to the higher-intake group studied in NutriNet-Santé.