What does Calcium propionate do?

Used in cosmetics as a preservative, an antimicrobial and a ph adjusters. Propionic Acid is the organic acid.

Is Calcium propionate safe?

High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

beauty
food
industrial

Calcium propionate

CAS 1298120-01-0 · 60/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 6 other CAS numbers

79-09-4 · 137-40-6 · 327-62-8 · 557-27-7 · 4075-81-4 · 17496-08-1

Concern score

60/100High concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Calcium propionate in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Ammonium propionate”.
Also known as Ammonium propionate · Magnesium propionate · Potassium propionate · Propionic acid · Sodium propionate · Calcium propanoate
Show all 22 names
Propionic acid and its salts · Calcium propionate (e 282) · Ca-PROPIONATE · Calcium dipropanoate · Calcium salt propanoic acid · Propanoic acid, calcium salt (2:1) · Calcium salt propionic acid · Bioban-C · Calcium dipropionate · Calcium propionate;Bioban-C; Calcium dipropionate · Caswell No. 151 · E-282 · Ins NO.282 · INS-282 · Propanoate (calcium) · propionic acid calcium
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a preservative, an antimicrobial and a ph adjusters. Propionic Acid is the organic acid.
Preservative
Antimicrobial
pH adjusters
Fragrance
Flavouring agent, preservative
Antioxidant
Is it a concern?: High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

What the listings say

Permitted, with conditions — Calcium propionate appears on published "allowed" regulatory lists rather than on a restriction list.

Propionic acid and its salts is listed in Annex V of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (preservatives allowed in cosmetic products).

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Calcium propionate appears in these published regulatory listings.

EU Annex V — permitted preservative
EU permitted preservative

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Industrial

EUEFSAEFSA opinion4 entries
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of propionic acid, sodium propionate, calcium propionate and ammonium propionate for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of propionic acid (E 280), sodium propionate (E 281), calcium propionate (E 282) and potassium propionate (E 283) as food additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
- Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed on the safety and efficacy of Kofa Grain -pH 5- (a mixture of sodium benzoate, propionic acid and sodium propionate) as a feed additive for cattle for fattening (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
- Safety of the extension of use of sodium propionate (E 281) as a food additive. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) (EFSA ANS)Source →
EUCosIngActive3 entries
- Propionic Acid is the organic acid that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/2Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex V / ref 2.Source →
- Sodium Propionate is the sodium salt of propionic acid that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/2Source →
EUECallowed_listedAnnex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 2% (acid)
- Annex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 2% (acid)Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT LIMITEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: preservative.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: preservative.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT LIMITED (1973)JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED (1973). Functional class: flavouring agent, preservative.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED (1973). Functional class: flavouring agent, preservative.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 5 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Industrial products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Preservative, Drier, Other.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 5 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Industrial products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Preservative, Drier, Other.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of propionic acid, sodium propionate, calcium propionate and ammonium propionate for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of propionic acid (E 280), sodium propionate (E 281), calcium propionate (E 282) and potassium propionate (E 283) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
  2014 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed on the safety and efficacy of Kofa Grain -pH 5- (a mixture of sodium benzoate, propionic acid and sodium propionate) as a feed additive for cattle for fattening (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2006 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Safety of the extension of use of sodium propionate (E 281) as a food additive. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) (EFSA ANS)
  2016 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: preservative.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED (1973). Functional class: flavouring agent, preservative.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Calcium propionate yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

9 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2010-10-16
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated January 7, 2008
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (1)

Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Calcium propionate in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

Named organisations

Personal careIndustrial products

Typical roles

PreservativeAntimicrobialpH adjustersFragranceFlavouring agent, preservativeAntioxidant

See products using Calcium propionate →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Calcium propionate are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Calcium propionate; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 6 →Find products without it →