The Preservatives in Food Regulations 1989

Regulation 2(1) and (2)

SCHEDULE 1

PART I Permitted Preservatives

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4
Permitted preservative specified in Schedule 2	Serial Number	Alternative form in which the permitted preservative may be used (to be calculated as the permitted preservative shown in column 1)	Serial Number
Sorbic acid	E200	Sodium sorbate	E201
		Potassium sorbate	E202
		Calcium sorbate	E203
Benzoic acid	E210	Sodium benzoate	E211
		Potassium benzoate	E212
		Calcium benzoate	E213
Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate	E214	Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, sodium salt	E215
Propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate	E216	Propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, sodium salt	E217
Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate	E218	Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, sodium salt	E219
Sulphur dioxide	E220	Sodium sulphite	E221
		Sodium hydrogen sulphite	E222
		Sodium metabisulphite	E223
		Potassium metabisulphite	E224
		Calcium sulphite	E226
		Calcium hydrogen sulphite	E227
Potassium bisulphite	E228
Biphenyl	E230
2-Hydroxybiphenyl	E231	Sodium biphenyl-2-yl oxide	E232
2-(Thiazol-4-yl) benzimidazole	E233
Hexamine	E239
Sodium nitrite	E250	Potassium nitrite	E249
Sodium nitrate	E251	Potassium nitrate	E252
Propionic acid	E280	Sodium propionate	E281
		Calcium propionate	E282
		Potassium propionate	E283
Nisin	234

PART II Specific Purity Criteria Applicable to Permitted Preservatives

In the case of:–

• E200 Sorbic acid

• E201 Sodium sorbate

• E202 Potassium sorbate

• E203 Calcium sorbate

• E210 Benzoic acid

• E211 Sodium benzoate

• E212 Potassium benzoate

• E213 Calcium benzoate

• E214 Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate

  • Synonyms: Ethylpara-hydroxybenzoate

  • Ethyl ester ofp-hydroxybenzoic acid

• E215 Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, sodium salt

  • Synonyms: Sodium ethylpara-hydroxybenzoate

  • Sodium ethylp— hydroxybenzoate

• E216 Propyl 4-hyroxybenzoate

  • Synonyms: Propylpara-hydroxybenzoate

  • n-propylp-hydroxybenzoate

• E217 Propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, sodium salt

  • Synonyms: Sodium propylpara-hydroxybenzoate

• Sodiumn-propylp-hydroxybenzoate

• E220 Sulphur dioxide

• E221 Sodium sulphite (anhydrous or heptahydrate)

• E222 Sodium hydrogen sulphite

  • Synonym: Acid sodium sulphite

• E223 Sodium metabisulphite

• E250 Sodium nitrite

• E251 Sodium nitrate

• E252 Potassium nitrate

• E280 Propionic acid

• E281 Sodium propionate

• E282 Calcium propionate

the appropriate specific purity criteria contained in Directive 65/66/EEC of the Council(1).

In the case of:–

• E218 Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate

  • Synonyms: Methylpara-hyroxybenzoate

  • Methylp-hydroxybenzoate

• E219 Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, sodium salt

  • Synonyms: Sodium methylpara-hydroxybenzoate

  • Sodium derivative of methylp-hydroxybenzoate

• E226 Calcium sulphite

• E227 Calcium hydrogen sulphite

  • Synonym: Calcium bisulphite

• E233 2-(Thiazol-4-yl) benzimidazole

  • Synonyms: Thiabendazole

  • 2-(4-thiazolyl) benzimidazole (thiabendazole)

• E239 Hexamine

  • Synonym: Hexamethylenetetramine

• E249 Potassium nitrite

• E283 Potassium propionate

the appropriate specific purity criteria contained in Directive 65/66/EEC of the Council(2).

In the case of:–

• E224 Potassium metabisulphite

• E230 Biphenyl

• E231 2-Hydroxybiphenyl

  • Synonym: Orthophenylphenol

• E232 Sodium biphenyl-2-yl oxide

  • Synonym: Sodium orthophenylphenate

the appropriate specific purity criteria contained in Directive 65/66/EEC of the Council(3).

In the case of:–

• E228 Potassium bisulphite

  • Synonym: Potassium acid sulphite

the appropriate specific purity criteria contained in Directive 65/66/EEC of the Council(4).

In the case of:–

• Nisin

The criteria in the monograph for nisin contained in the Nutrition Meetings Report Series No. 45A (1969) of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation at page 53.

PART III General Purity Criteria Applicable to Permitted Preservatives except where otherwise provided by Specific Purity Criteria

Each preservative shall not contain–

(a) more than 3 milligrams per kilogram of arsenic;

(b) more than 10 milligrams per kilogram of lead;

(c) more than 50 milligrams per kilogram of copper, or 25 milligrams per kilogram of zinc, or 50 milligrams per kilogram of any combination of copper and zinc.

(1)

OJ No. 22, 9.2.65, p. 373/65 (OJ/SE 1965–1966, p. 25); relevant amending Directives are 67/428/EEC of the Council—OJ No. 148, 11.7.67, p. 10 (OJ/SE 1967, p. 178); 76/463/EEC of the Council—OJ No. L126, 14.5.76, p. 33.

(2)

The relevant amending Directive is 76/463/EEC of the Council—OJ No. L126, 14.5.76, p. 33.

(3)

The relevant amending Directive is 67/428/EEC of the Council—OJ No. 148, 11.7.67, p. 10 (OJ/SE 1967, p. 178).

(4)

The relevant amending Directive is 86/604/EEC of the Council—OJ No. L352, 13.12.1986, p. 45.