Preservatives such as benzoic and sorbic acid prolong shelf life by protecting food against micro organisms. These notifications report them above the permitted amount or in a food where they are not allowed.
123 notifications since 1 January 2020 named preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid), under 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 14 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 24 in the 365 days before, down 42%. 46% were border rejections and 6% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were the United States (16), Egypt (15) and Türkiye (9). The product categories named most often were non alcoholic beverages (40), fruit and vegetables (27) and soups, sauces and condiments (14). The products named most often were soft drinks (30), pastes (10) and liquid food supplements (7).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Food additives, European Commission.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid)
The newest 25 of 123, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Border rejection notified by Bulgaria: thiamethoxam, emamectin, fluvalinate and 1 more findings in peppers from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.9017, validated 22 October 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Slovenia: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid), vitamins, minerals or other nutrients above safe levels, plant ingredients not allowed or found unsafe and 1 more findings in food supplements from the United Kingdom, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.7182, validated 13 August 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Portugal: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in passion fruit from Brazil, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6632, validated 24 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Lithuania: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from the United States, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.4779, validated 1 June 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Latvia: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) and vitamins, minerals or other nutrients above safe levels in a mixed food product from Ukraine, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.4134, validated 11 May 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Ireland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from the United States, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.3165, validated 14 April 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Slovenia: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from Brazil, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.2948, validated 7 April 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Slovenia: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in plums from Serbia, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.2038, validated 11 March 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Ireland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) and labelling faults in soft drinks from the United States, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.2029, validated 11 March 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Finland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in cakes and pastries from Poland, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.1957, validated 9 March 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Cyprus: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in spirits from South Africa, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.1003, validated 6 February 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Croatia: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid), vitamins, minerals or other nutrients above safe levels, illegal import or unapproved establishment and 1 more findings in bread from Serbia, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2025.9992, validated 12 December 2025.
- Information for attention notified by Ireland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in plums from Chile, risk decision potential risk, reference 2025.9802, validated 8 December 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Ireland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in apricots from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2025.9798, validated 8 December 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Ireland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in sauces from Poland, risk decision not serious, reference 2025.8540, validated 3 November 2025.
- Information for attention notified by Denmark: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from Pakistan, risk decision serious, reference 2025.7971, validated 16 October 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Ireland: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in apricots from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2025.7861, validated 13 October 2025.
- Alert notified by Belgium: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) and vitamins, minerals or other nutrients above safe levels in liquid food supplements from Belgium, risk decision no risk, reference 2025.7274, validated 24 September 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Sweden: titanium dioxide (E 171) and preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in sweets from Vietnam, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2025.7118, validated 17 September 2025.
- Border rejection notified by Latvia: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in biscuits from Ukraine, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2025.6676, validated 1 September 2025.
- Alert notified by Spain: undeclared sulphites, preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) and fraud or adulteration in dates from China, risk decision serious, reference 2025.5880, validated 1 August 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Lithuania: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from the United States, risk decision not serious, reference 2025.5841, validated 31 July 2025.
- Border rejection notified by Cyprus: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in juices from Egypt, risk decision not serious, reference 2025.5679, validated 25 July 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Lithuania: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from Malaysia, risk decision not serious, reference 2025.5257, validated 10 July 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Lithuania: preservatives (benzoic or sorbic acid) in soft drinks from the United States, risk decision not serious, reference 2025.4757, validated 25 June 2025.
Other additives and colours: an unauthorised additive, unauthorised colours, vitamins, minerals or other nutrients above safe levels.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 37 |
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 11 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 56 | 46% |
| Alert | 3 | 2% |
| Information for follow up | 37 | 30% |
| Information for attention | 27 | 22% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 7 | 6% |
| Potentially serious | 8 | 7% |
| Potential risk | 17 | 14% |
| Not serious | 78 | 63% |
| Undecided | 11 | 9% |
| No risk | 2 | 2% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Soft drinks | 30 |
| Pastes | 10 |
| Liquid food supplements | 7 |
| Pineapples | 5 |
| Cakes and pastries | 4 |
| Tomatoes | 4 |
| Figs | 3 |
| Food supplements | 3 |
| Plums | 3 |
| Sauces | 3 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 16 | 13% |
| Egypt | 15 | 12% |
| Türkiye | 9 | 7% |
| Brazil | 7 | 6% |
| Syria | 7 | 6% |
| Ukraine | 7 | 6% |
| China | 4 | 3% |
| Costa Rica | 4 | 3% |
| United Kingdom | 4 | 3% |
| Georgia | 4 | 3% |
| Netherlands | 4 | 3% |
| Vietnam | 4 | 3% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Non alcoholic beverages | 40 | 33% |
| Fruit and vegetables | 27 | 22% |
| Soups, sauces and condiments | 14 | 11% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 10 | 8% |
| Cereals and bakery products | 8 | 7% |
| Confectionery | 5 | 4% |
| Fish and fish products | 5 | 4% |
| Alcoholic beverages | 4 | 3% |
| Other and mixed food products | 4 | 3% |
| Ices and desserts | 2 | 2% |
| Milk and milk products | 2 | 2% |
| Food additives and flavourings | 1 | under 1% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | 25 | 20% |
| Spain | 12 | 10% |
| Lithuania | 12 | 10% |
| Belgium | 10 | 8% |
| Latvia | 8 | 7% |
| Ireland | 7 | 6% |
| Portugal | 7 | 6% |
| United Kingdom | 5 | 4% |
Get these by email
A free weekly digest of new notifications for the products and origins you pick. Or tell us you would pay EUR 29 a month for an email the same day the EU publishes one.