Sodium benzoate (E211)

No. Sodium benzoate (E211) is not one of the markers Open Food Facts uses to classify a food as processed or ultra-processed, so on its own it doesn't raise a product's NOVA group.

What it is

Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.

A product that contains it can still be ultra-processed for other reasons: 594 of the 650 products here that contain sodium benzoate (E211) (91%) are in group 4 because of other ingredients or additives.

Function

Preservative: Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.

Functional class definitions from the EU food additives regulation, via Open Food Facts.

More about sodium benzoate (E211) on Wikidata

Where it turns up

Sodium benzoate (E211) appears in 650 of the 40,000 products on this site (2%).

Sodas 72 of 612 products
Energy drinks 32 of 278 products
Energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners 21 of 60 products
Sauces 20 of 2,964 products
Salad dressings 18 of 252 products
Potato salads 16 of 28 products

Products containing sodium benzoate (E211)

Showing the 60 most popular of 650.

How the NOVA classification works