E202 · CAS 24634-61-5

Potassium Sorbate

Potassium Sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid and the most widely used antifungal preservative in the global food industry.

The compound has the molecular formula C₆H₇KO₂ and a molar mass of 150.22 g/mol. Solubility in water is exceptionally high (around 58 g per 100 mL at 20 °C), which is what makes it the default sorbate form for aqueous food and beverage systems.

It is particularly effective against yeasts and moulds at pH values up to about 6.5, a broader functional window than benzoate-based preservatives.

We source bulk Potassium Sorbate from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are mostly in Jiangsu, Shandong and Guangxi. For this ingredient the minimum order is 1,000 kg and a 20-foot container takes 13 MT, and a smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.

Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.

or call +86-21-6858 0751

Minimum order: 1,000 kg
Qty in 20' FCL: 13 MT
Packaging: 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner

ISO 9001
HACCP
Halal
Kosher

Specifications

Item	Specification
Appearance	Fine, white to slightly yellow crystals
Purity (Food Grade)	97.0% min
Purity (Feed Grade)	97.0% min
Moisture/Loss on Drying	0.5% max
pH	5.0 - 7.0
Heavy Metals	10 mg/kg max
Lead	3 mg/kg max
Arsenic	3 mg/kg max
Total Plate Count	1000 cfu/g max
Yeast & Mold	100 cfu/g max

Common Markets Grades

Granular and powder formats of Potassium Sorbate share identical chemistry.

Granular grade is a free-flowing crystalline form with low dust generation, preferred for automated dosing and dry-blend operations.

Powder grade is finer and dissolves more quickly in cold-fill beverages, brines, and surface-spray applications.

Both grades meet FCC, USP, BP, and Ph. Eur. specifications and are routinely offered with Kosher and Halal certification.

Applications

Wine, fortified wine, and cider as a yeast-stability aid after fermentation
Cheese surfaces, cheese-coating emulsions, and processed cheese spreads
Yogurt, fermented dairy drinks, and dairy-based dips where mould growth is the main risk
Baked goods including cake fillings, tortillas, and flatbreads
Margarine, fat spreads, and table sauces
Pickles, olives, and acidified vegetables
Salad dressings, mayonnaise, and emulsified condiments
Fruit syrups, fruit preparations, and concentrated juices
Dried and semi-dried meat and fish products as a surface spray
Pet food and treats including soft-moist formats
Personal care formulations such as shampoos, lotions, and rinse-off products

Brands Using Potassium Sorbate

Widely-distributed consumer products that list Potassium Sorbate on the ingredient label.

Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.

China Manufacturers of Potassium Sorbate

Top Potassium Sorbate manufacturers in China.

Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.

How We Help Source Potassium Sorbate

Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Potassium Sorbate out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Potassium Sorbate together with other ingredients such as Calcium Propionate, Sodium Diacetate and Sodium Propionate into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.

Regulatory Status

Potassium Sorbate carries the European food additive number E202 and is authorised in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 for a broad range of food categories at maximum levels typically between 200 and 2000 mg/kg.

In the United States it is affirmed GRAS for direct food use under 21 CFR 182.3640 and is also permitted as an indirect food additive in food-contact materials.

JECFA evaluates sorbic acid and its salts as a group with shared toxicological data. The compound is considered one of the safest preservatives in routine industrial use.

USP, Ph. Eur., and JP publish pharmacopoeial monographs. The substance is widely used as an excipient in oral pharmaceutical liquids and topical formulations.

Manufacturing Process

Potassium Sorbate Manufacturing Process

Loading process diagram…

Potassium sorbate is manufactured by neutralisation of sorbic acid with potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate in water.

The sorbic acid feedstock is produced almost exclusively by the ketene route, in which ketene generated from acetic acid is condensed with crotonaldehyde to give a polyester intermediate that is hydrolysed and isomerised to sorbic acid.

The neutralisation is run close to the equivalence point so that the finished salt has a near-neutral pH in solution. The clarified solution is then decolorised with activated carbon and filtered.

The product is recovered by spray drying or by crystallisation followed by centrifugation and fluid-bed drying. Particle size is controlled at the drying step to produce either granular or powder grade.