Calcium propionate is the calcium salt of propionic acid, a short-chain fatty acid that also forms naturally in some cheeses, such as Swiss-type cheese, as they ripen. For food it is produced by reacting propionic acid with calcium hydroxide. It is INS 282 and E282, and Codex classes it as a preservative.
Its main target is mould. Unlike sorbates, it does little to slow baker’s yeast, so it suits yeast-raised bread as well as cakes and pastries. It has been evaluated by JECFA and is permitted in Thailand and many other countries.
On SeekSnack it is one of the two preservatives, with sodium benzoate (INS 211), in Alice’s Coconut Mochi, a soft pastry with a sweet coconut filling; the pastry itself is made with wheat flour and sweetened condensed milk.
