Sorbates are approved in virtually all countries as safe preservatives for a wide variety of foods. Moreover, in many countries, sorbates are approved for use in numerous non-food applications such as animal feedstuffs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care products.

• A large number of scientific studies confirm that sorbates are harmless to health.
• Both national and international organizations and authorities confirm the safety of sorbates, e.g. JECFA (Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives) of WHO/FAO, the European Communities, FDA (sorbates classified as GRAS, ”Generally Recognized As Safe” in the USA)
• CTFA (Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association, USA) classifies sorbates as safe for use in cosmetics. The EC Cosmetics Directive, as well as the national legislation of most countries, approve sorbates as preservatives for cosmetics.