E215 – Ethyl-p-hydroxybenzoate sodium salt

Description

Synthetic preservative

Risks

Notes

Sodium ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate is the sodium salt version of ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate, another member of the paraben family of preservatives. It's created by taking ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate and combining it with sodium, which makes it more water-soluble and easier to incorporate into liquid foods and beverages. Like its cousin E214, this preservative is specifically effective against yeasts and molds, making it valuable in products prone to these types of spoilage. You'll typically encounter it in soft drinks, fruit juices, sauces, and other liquid or semi-liquid processed foods where preventing fungal growth is essential for product safety and quality. This synthetic preservative is suitable for vegetarians and vegans as it contains no animal products. The addition of sodium makes it slightly more alkaline than regular parabens, but it's still considered safe for consumption within approved limits. Some consumers prefer to limit their intake of parabens, though regulatory authorities have established safe usage levels for food applications.