Build my profileBuild my profile

Preservative

E211 (sodium benzoate): what it is, its sources, vegan or not

E211 is sodium benzoate, a preservative. E211 is made in a lab. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.

By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check

Fits you

for a vegan profile

E211=made in a lab

What is E211?

E211 (sodium benzoate) is a preservative, an additive that makes a food keep longer by protecting it from microbes.

What is E211 made from?

E211 is made in a lab.

  • Made in a lab

Is E211 vegan?

Fits you. E211 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.

What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.

VeganFits youE211 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.
VegetarianFits youE211 is made in a lab. Nothing from an animal.

What other names does E211 have on a label?

On a label, E211 can also appear as “INS 211”, “Preservative (211)”, “Preservative (E211)” or “Sodium benzoate”.

Any of these on a pack means E211. The checker reads them all.

E211E 211E-211INS 211Preservative (211)Preservative (E211)Sodium benzoate

What would change the answer for E211?

For E211, only the ingredient list itself: a code the camera cannot read gets Needs one more scan, and the app never guesses a code it cannot see.

Sources: EU, US and Codex additive rules

Where additives are listed and approved. Bravoora reads the source and the diet; it does not rate the hazard.

  1. EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
  2. EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
  3. US FDA: Food Additive Status List
  4. FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online

Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).

Create a website profile with the things you avoid and the people you check for.

Build my profile

Save and edit your profile on this website. App transfer is not available yet.