{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/preservatives-in-food-regulations-1989/schedule-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/preservatives-in-food-regulations-1989/schedule-2.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1989/533",
  "legislation_title": "The Preservatives in Food Regulations 1989",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/preservatives-in-food-regulations-1989",
  "path": "schedule/2",
  "kind": "schedule",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "ARTICLES OF FOOD WHICH MAY CONTAIN PERMITTED PRESERVATIVE AND THE NATURE AND PROPORTION OF PERMITTED PRESERVATIVE IN EACH CASE",
  "text": "Column 1\nColumn 2\nColumn 3\nSpecified food\nPermitted Preservative\nExcept where otherwise stated, milligrams per kilogram not exceeding–\nBeer\nSulphur dioxide and either\n70\nbenzoic acid or\n70\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n70\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n70\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n70\nBeetroot, cooked and pre-packed\nBenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n250\nBread\nPropionic acid\nAs prescribed by the Bread and Flour Regulations 1984\nCauliflower, canned\nSulphur dioxide\n100\nCheese\nSorbic acid\n1,000\nCheese, other than Cheddar, Cheshire, Grana-padano or Provolone type of cheeses or soft cheese\nSodium nitrate and sodium nitrite\n50 of which not more than 5 may be sodium nitrite, expressed in both cases as sodium nitrite\nProvolone cheese\nHexamine\n25 (expressed as formaldehyde)\nChicory and coffee essence\nBenzoic acid or\n450\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n450\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n450\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n450\nChristmas pudding\nPropionic acid\n1,000\nCider\nSulphur dioxide or\n200\nsorbic acid\n200\nCoconut, desiccated\nSulphur dioxide\n50\nColouring matter, except E150 Caramel, if in the form of a solution of a permitted colouring matter\nBenzoic acid or\n2,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nThe permitted colouring matter, E150 Caramel\nSulphur dioxide\n1,000\nCrabmeat, canned\nSulphur dioxide\n30\nDesserts, fruit based milk and cream\nSulphur dioxide or\n100\nsorbic acid\n300\nDessert sauces, fruit based with total soluble solids content of less than 75%\nSulphur dioxide or\n100\nbenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nThe permitted miscellaneous additive, Dimethylpolysiloxane\nSulphur dioxide or\n1,000\nbenzoic acid or\n2,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nEnzymes:\nPapain, solid\nSulphur dioxide\n30,000\nPapain, aqueous solutions\nSulphur dioxide or\n5,000\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nAqueous solutions of enzyme preparations not otherwise specified, including immobilised enzyme preparations in aqueous media\nSulphur dioxide or\n500\nbenzoic acid or\n3,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n3,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n3,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n3,000\nsorbic acid\n3,000\nFat spreads consisting of an emulsion principally of water in oil with a fat content not exceeding 70%\nSorbic acid\n2,000\nFigs, dried\nSulphur dioxide or\n2,000\nsorbic acid\n500\nFillings and toppings for flour confectionery which consist principally of a sweetened oil and water emulsion with a minimum sugar solids content of 50%\nSorbic acid\n1,000\nFinings when sold by retail:\nWine finings\nSulphur dioxide\n12,500\nBeer finings\nSulphur dioxide\n50,000\nFlavourings\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n800\nFlavouring syrups\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n800\nFlour confectionery\nPropionic acid or\n1,000\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nFoam headings, liquid\nSulphur dioxide or\n5,000\nbenzoic acid or\n10,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n10,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n10,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n10,000\nFreeze drinks\nSulphur dioxide or\n70\nbenzoic acid or\n160\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n160\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n160\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n160\nsorbic acid\n300\nFruit based pie fillings\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nsorbic acid\n450\nFruit, dried, other than prunes, or figs\nSulphur dioxide\n2,000\nFruit, fresh:\nBananas\n2-(Thiazol-4-yl) benzimidazole\n3\nCitrus fruit\nBiphenyl or\n70\n2-hydroxybiphenyl or\n12\n2-(Thiazol-4-yl) benzimidazole\n10\nGrapes\nSulphur dioxide\n15\nFruit, fruit pulp or fruit purée (including tomatoes, tomato pulp, tomato paste and tomato purée) which, in each case, is not fresh or canned\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n800\nFruit juices:\nAny fruit juice or concentrated fruit juice mentioned in regulation 11(2) of the Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 1977\nSulphur dioxide\nAs prescribed by the Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 1977\nAny other fruit juice or concentrated fruit juice\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n800\nFruit or plants (including flowers and seeds), crystallised, glacé or drained (syruped), or candied peel or cut and drained (syruped) peel\nSulphur dioxide and either\n100\nbenzoic acid or\n1,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nFruit pieces in stabilised syrup for use as ingredients of ice-cream or other edible ices\nSorbic acid\n1,000\nFruit spread\nSulphur dioxide and\n100\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nGarlic, powdered\nSulphur dioxide\n2,000\nGelatin\nSulphur dioxide\n1,000\nGelatin capsules\nSorbic acid\n3,000\nGinger, dry root\nSulphur dioxide\n150\nGlucose drinks containing not less than 235 grammes of glucose syrup per litre of the drink\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n800\nGrape juice products (unfermented, intended for sacramental use)\nSulphur dioxide and either\n70\nbenzoic acid or\n2,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n2,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n2,000\nGrape juice, concentrated, intended for home wine making and labelled as such\nSulphur dioxide\n2,000\nHamburgers or similar products\nSulphur dioxide\n450\nHerring, marinated,\n—whose pH does not exceed 4.5\nBenzoic acid or\n1,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n1,000\n—whose pH exceeds 4.5\nHexamine and either\n50\nbenzoic acid or\n1,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n1,000\nHops, dried, sold by retail\nSulphur dioxide\n2,000\nHorseradish, fresh grated, and horseradish sauce\nSulphur dioxide or\n200\nbenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n250\nJam and other products described in column 2 of Schedule 1 to the Jam and Similar Products Regulations 1981:\nReduced sugar jam, reduced sugar jelly and reduced sugar marmalade\nSulphur dioxide and benzoic acid or methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or sorbic acid\nAs prescribed in the Jam and Similar Products Regulations 1981\nAny other product described in column 2 of Schedule 1 to the Jam and Similar Products Regulations 1981\nSulphur dioxide\nAs prescribed in the Jam and Similar Products Regulations 1981\nMackerel, marinated,\n—whose pH does not exceed 4.5\nBenzoic acid or\n1,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n1,000\n—whose pH exceeds 4.5\nHexamine and either\n50\nbenzoic acid or\n1,000\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n1,000\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n1,000\nMallow, chocolate covered\nSorbic acid\n1,000 (calculated on the weight of the mallow and chocolate together)\nMeat, cured (including cured meat products):\nCured meat (including cured meat products) packed in a sterile pack, whether or not it has been removed from the pack\nSodium nitrate and sodium nitrite\n150, of which not more than 50 may be sodium nitrite, expressed in both cases as sodium nitrite\nAcidified and/or fermented cured meat products (including Salami and similar products) not packed in a sterile pack\nSodium nitrate and sodium nitrite\n400, of which not more than 50 may be sodium nitrite, expressed in both cases as sodium nitrite\nUncooked bacon and ham; cooked bacon and ham that is not, and has not been, packed in any hermetically sealed container\nSodium nitrate and sodium nitrite\n500, of which not more than 200 may be sodium nitrite, expressed in both cases as sodium nitrite\nAny cured meat or cured meat product not specified above\nSodium nitrate and sodium nitrite\n250, of which not more than 150 may be sodium nitrite, expressed in both cases as sodium nitrite\nMushrooms, frozen\nSulphur dioxide\n50\nNut pastes, sweetened\nSorbic acid\n1,000\nOlives, pickled\nSulphur dioxide or\n100\nbenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n250\nsorbic acid\n500\nPeas, garden, canned, containing no added colouring matter\nSulphur dioxide\n100\nPectin, liquid\nSulphur dioxide\n250\nPerry\nSulphur dioxide or\n200\nsorbic acid\n200\nPickles, other than pickled olives\nSulphur dioxide or\n100\nbenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nPotatoes, raw, peeled\nSulphur dioxide\n50\nPrawns, shrimps and scampi, other than prawns and shrimps in brine\nSulphur dioxide\n200 in the edible part\nPrawns and shrimps in brine\nSulphur dioxide and either\n200 in the edible part\nsorbic acid or benzoic acid\n2,000\nand either\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n300\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n300\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n300\nPreparations of saccharin, sodium saccharin or calcium saccharin and water only\nBenzoic acid and either\n750\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n250\nPrunes\nSulphur dioxide or\n2,000\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nSalad cream (including mayonnaise) and salad dressing\nSulphur dioxide or\n100\nbenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nSambal oelek\nBenzoic acid and\n850\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nSauces, other than horse-radish sauce\nSulphur dioxide or\n100\nbenzoic acid or\n250\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n250\nsorbic acid\n1,000\nSausages or sausage meat\nSulphur dioxide\n450\nSnack meals, concentrated, with a moisture content of not less than 15% and not more than 60%\nSorbic acid and\n1,500\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n175\nSoft drinks for consumption after dilution not otherwise specified in this Schedule\nSulphur dioxide or\n350\nbenzoic acid or\n800\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n800\nsorbic acid\n1,500\nSoft drinks for consumption without dilution not otherwise specified in this Schedule\nSulphur dioxide or\n70\nbenzoic acid or\n160\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n160\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n160\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n160\nsorbic acid\n300\nSoup concentrates with a moisture content of not less than 25% and not more than 60%\nSorbic acid and\n1,500\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n175\nStarches, including modified starches\nSulphur dioxide\n100\nSugars:\nSpecified sugar products\nSulphur dioxide\nAs prescribed by the Specified Sugar Products Regulations 1976\nHydrolysed starches (other than specified sugar products)\nSulphur dioxide\n400\nOther sugars except lactose\nSulphur dioxide\n70\nTea extract, liquid\nBenzoic acid or\n450\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n450\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n450\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate\n450\nVegetables, dehydrated:\nBrussels sprouts\nSulphur dioxide\n2,500\nCabbage\nSulphur dioxide\n2,500\nPotato\nSulphur dioxide\n550\nOthers\nSulphur dioxide\n2,000\nVinegar:\nCider or wine vinegar\nSulphur dioxide\n200\nOther\nSulphur dioxide\n70\nWine (including alcoholic cordials) other than Community controlled wine\nSulphur dioxide and\n450 milligrams per litre\nsorbic acid\n200 milligrams per litre\nYogurt, fruit\nSulphur dioxide or\n60\nbenzoic acid or\n120\nmethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n120\nethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n120\npropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate or\n120\nsorbic acid\n300",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/533/schedule/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T15:46:33.935266+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}