E203 / Preservatives
Calcium sorbate
Safety in brief
Safe
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- No allergen or sensitivity is recorded for this ingredient here. Check the whole product label; this is not an allergen-free guarantee.
- Our advice
- Read the whole food label and consider how often you eat the product. A name or E number does not tell you the amount, and an ingredient rating cannot assess the entire food.
What it is
Calcium sorbate is the calcium salt of sorbic acid, used as a preservative in dairy, beverages, and baked goods to inhibit mould, yeast, and bacterial growth and extend shelf life. It is effective across a range of pH levels, though most active in acidic conditions. Regulatory authorities including the FDA consider it safe within approved usage limits, and it does not meaningfully affect flavor or color.
Also appears on labels as: E203, E 203, E-203, Calcium sorbate, Calcium salt of sorbic acid, Calcium sorbic acid salt, Sorbic acid calcium salt, Calcium hexadienoate, Calcium sorbate preservative, Preservative E203, INS 203, Ca(C6H7O2)2.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- None recorded
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Selected research on E203
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of sorbic acid, potassium sorbate and calcium sorbate
No sign that sorbic acid or potassium sorbate damage DNA. Set a temporary safe daily limit of 3 mg per kg of body weight while reproductive data were checked; calcium sorbate was left out for lack of data.
Summaries of each source's published abstract or statement, checked . This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Generally recognized as safe at typical food-use levels; rare mild allergic-type reactions reported in sensitive individuals, consistent with other sorbate salts.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of sorbic acid (E 200), potassium sorbate (E 202) and calcium sorbate (E 203) as food additives — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2015). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
Country rules
Country checks for E203
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | No exact code match in the Annex II Part B list (version 2026-08-18, read 2026-10-07). Identity, subform and legal-use review are pending. This does not establish a permission or a ban. |
| Great Britain | No verified exact register record in this review. Identity and current use rules need checking; missing a record does not establish a ban. |
| United States | Selected US conditions for Calcium sorbate Official federal text current through ; read . Food uses, limits and exceptionsA named GRAS provision Calcium sorbate is listed for use under good manufacturing practice. This means food-grade material and an amount no greater than reasonably needed for its intended effect; it does not mean unlimited use. Meat rules are separate USDA rules prohibit sorbic acid, sodium sorbate and calcium sorbate in cooked sausages or other meat. The potassium-sorbate exception has specific conditions; another sorbate cannot inherit it. EatMatrix’s reading: a legal use condition answers where and how an ingredient may be used. It is not a test of your product, a personal safe intake or a claim that the ingredient benefits your body. Match the named substance, food and amount. Other federal provisions, food standards, state rules and later changes may also apply; this is a selected source review, not a complete product-compliance decision. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | Named food-use records located. Health Canada lists the preparations below for specified foods and purposes. This is conditional permission for those uses, not approval of every product or a personal safety verdict. Only the named records and conditions below were located. Exact composition and specifications still need matching. Source tables captured . List publication dates are shown separately. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a condition of use, not an unlimited amount or a recommended intake. Food and Drug Regulations B.16.003 requires the listed source, purpose, amount and other conditions to match. The official consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026; product specifications and applicable later changes still need checking. Read 11 listed food-use conditionsCalcium SorbateHealth Canada: List of Permitted Preservatives. List published ; item C.3.
EatMatrix reading: match the exact preparation and food first. A manufacturing limit is not an acceptable daily intake (ADI). A label without the amount cannot establish exposure, and an unlisted name here does not establish a ban. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 1 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment sources
- Commission-listed EFSA references for E203. Bibliographic identity checked; latest findings and current use rules need separate review.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Safe |
| WHO | Safe |
| EFSA | Safe |
| FSANZ | Safe |
| Japan | Safe |
| UK FSA | Safe |
| Health Canada | Safe |
Official assessment sources for E203
The European Commission’s re-evaluation table lists official EFSA documents for this additive. Their identifiers and subjects were checked against publisher bibliographic records. A missing research link in the EatMatrix database does not mean the additive has never been assessed.
Name in the Commission table: Calcium sorbate (authorised until 12 August 2018).
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of sorbic acid (E 200), potassium sorbate (E 202) and calcium sorbate (E 203) as food additives
EFSA scientific opinion. Published: .
These are assessment references, including historical or group assessments. They do not establish the latest scientific conclusion, a human health benefit or risk, or current permission to use the additive in a particular food. Later assessments, corrections and food-use conditions need separate review. The recorded EatMatrix rating above is unchanged.
European Commission re-evaluation table, status as of . EatMatrix checked this bibliography on .
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E203?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E203 (Calcium sorbate) is “Safe”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E203 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Calcium sorbate — vegan: yes, vegetarian: yes, halal: yes, kosher: yes, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E203 and why is it used?
Calcium sorbate is the calcium salt of sorbic acid, used as a preservative in dairy, beverages, and baked goods to inhibit mould, yeast, and bacterial growth and extend shelf life. It is effective across a range of pH levels, though most active in acidic conditions. Regulatory authorities including the FDA consider it safe within approved usage limits, and it does not meaningfully affect flavor or color.
Does E203 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Calcium sorbate.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.