Propionic acid (E280) in food: ingestion safety
Low risk(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Propionic acid (E280) presents low risk to human adults. FDA GRAS; EFSA group ADI 3 mg/kg/day (E280–E283 class). A naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid produced by gut microbiota and found at 1-2% in Swiss cheese; present as a normal human metabolite. Antimicrobial mold-inhibiting preservative in bread and bakery products. No carcinogenicity classification. Propionic acidemia/methylmalonic acidemia (PA/MMA) are rare genetic metabolic disorders affecting propionate catabolism — not a safety concern for the general population from dietary exposure.
What is propionic acid (e280)?
The IUPAC name is propanoic acid.
Also known as: propanoic acid, propionic acid, methylacetic acid, ethylformic acid.
- IUPAC name
- propanoic acid
- CAS number
- 79-09-4
- Molecular formula
- C3H6O2
- Molecular weight
- 74.08 g/mol
- SMILES
- CCC(=O)O
- PubChem CID
- 1032
Risk for people
Low riskPropionic acid (E280) presents low risk to human adults. FDA GRAS; EFSA group ADI 3 mg/kg/day (E280–E283 class). A naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid produced by gut microbiota and found at 1-2% in Swiss cheese; present as a normal human metabolite. Antimicrobial mold-inhibiting preservative in bread and bakery products. No carcinogenicity classification. Propionic acidemia/methylmalonic acidemia (PA/MMA) are rare genetic metabolic disorders affecting propionate catabolism — not a safety concern for the general population from dietary exposure.
Regulatory consensus
3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Propionic acid (E280). The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IARC | 2014 | Not evaluated by IARC for carcinogenicity — Propionic acid (E280; CAS 79-09-4; propanoic acid; CH3CH2COOH; MW 74.08) is the parent compound of the E280–E283 propionate preservative group (propionic acid, calcium propionate, sodium propionate, potassium propionate); FDA GRAS (21 CFR 184.1081); EU E280 (limited maximum levels apply — primarily for bread, flour confectionery); EFSA group ADI 3 mg/kg/day as propionic acid equivalents (E280–E283, 2014); a naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid produced by intestinal microbial fermentation and the characteristic fermentation product of Propionibacterium species in Swiss-type cheese; no IARC, EPA, or EFSA carcinogenicity classification | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 6 positive / 10 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 6 positive / 10 negative reports) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter propionic acid (e280)
- Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
- Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles
- Food — processed food, beverages, candy, baked goods
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Propionic acid (E280):
-
Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
What products contain propionic acid (e280)?
Propionic acid (E280) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments); processed food (Food).
Why do regulators disagree about propionic acid (e280)?
Propionic acid (E280) has been classified by 3 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Propionic acid (E280) in the food app
Look up products containing propionic acid (e280), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in food View raw API dataSources (1)
- Propionic Acid E280 CAS 79-09-4 CH3CH2COOH pKa 4.87 E280-E283 Group ADI 3 mg/kg/day; EFSA 2014; FDA GRAS 21 CFR 184.1081; Swiss Cheese 1-2% Propionibacterium Freudenreichii Shermanii Lactate Fermentation; Gut Microbiota Bacteroides Veillonella SCFA Portal Vein 3-4 µM; Succinyl-CoA TCA Propionyl-CoA Methylmalonyl-CoA Pathway; Propionic Acidemia PA Methylmalonic Acidemia MMA Rare Inborn Error Metabolic Acidosis; Grain Preservation High-Moisture Animal Feed; Propanoate Ester Fruit Flavors; Herbicide Fenoprop Intermediate; Autism ICV Injection Controversy Physiologically Irrelevant (2014) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →