Will the label on the product tell me if it contains a preservative?

By Susan Brewer, Ph.D., University of Illinois,
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
 
All ingredients in the product must be listed on the label in the order of their concentration in the product.  Often, when an ingredient is used in a product for the purpose of preserving it, there will be a label statement something like this: “XXX added to preserve flavor/freshness, etc.”
 
Source(s):
FDA.gov…U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Food Ingredients and Colors”