sorbic acid
Sorbic acid is a mild mold and yeast inhibitor used in moist pet foods and treats. What it is, and how Bowlmark treats it.
Also appears on labels as: sorbic acid (a preservative) · e200
What it is
Sorbic acid is an organic acid that stops mold and yeast growth, listed as sorbic acid or E200. It was originally isolated from rowan berries; food-grade sorbic acid is synthesized, and potassium sorbate is its more soluble salt.
Why it's in pet food
Like the other mold inhibitors, it earns its place in higher-moisture formats — semi-moist foods, filled treats, dental chews — where mold is a real spoilage and safety risk.
How Bowlmark scores it
Scores are deterministic math over the printed label — the rules below apply to every product identically, and nothing estimates or fills in a blank.
Sorbic acid carries no deduction on the additive pillar. The engine flags the synthetic antioxidant class with documented safety questions — BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin — and treats mold inhibitors as neutral.
Foods that list sorbic acid
Ranked by score where scores exist. Placement here is never sold.
Sources
Related ingredients
Further reading
Cite this page
Bowlmark. "Sorbic acid in pet food — what it is and how it scores." https://www.bowlmark.com/ingredient/sorbic-acid
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- Last verified August 9, 2026
No stored score to stamp yet — the engine and config above are the ones a scan runs today.