What food groups commonly have preservatives in them?

By Susan Brewer, Ph.D., University of Illinois,
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
 
Of the retail foods, one of the groups that most commonly contain preservatives are “dry” products: chips, crackers and snack foods, cookies, dry cereals and dry mixes (cake, brownies, and so on).  In a dry food, oxidation of the fat is more likely than  mold or bacterial growth. Dry food has a long shelf life because spoilage organisms are unable to grow on it.
 
Source(s):
FDA.gov…U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Color Additives Listed for Use in Food (From the Code of Federal Regulations.”

ECFR.GPOACCESS.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. “Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. TITLE 21--Food and Drugs”