Potassium benzoate (E212)

No. Potassium benzoate (E212) 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: 69 of the 69 products here that contain potassium benzoate (E212) (100%) 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 potassium benzoate (E212) on Wikidata

Where it turns up

Potassium benzoate (E212) appears in 69 of the 40,000 products on this site (0%).

Waters 15 of 409 products
Diet cola soft drink 10 of 67 products
Sodas 8 of 612 products
Flavored waters 6 of 119 products
Artificially sweetened beverages 5 of 525 products
Carbonated waters 5 of 144 products

Products containing potassium benzoate (E212)

Showing the 60 most popular of 69.

How the NOVA classification works