Sodium propionate (E281)

No. Sodium propionate (E281) 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: 59 of the 61 products here that contain sodium propionate (E281) (97%) 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 propionate (E281) on Wikidata

Where it turns up

Sodium propionate (E281) appears in 61 of the 40,000 products on this site (0%).

Cakes 11 of 377 products
Muffins 5 of 49 products
Pastries 4 of 205 products
Wheat flatbreads 4 of 149 products
Prepared meats 3 of 881 products
Breads 2 of 2,388 products

Products containing sodium propionate (E281)

Showing the 60 most popular of 61.

How the NOVA classification works