Single-ingredient calcium propionate
Food grade calcium propionate for permitted preservation applications. Review the commercial reference table and supplied example results, then approve a signed specification for the exact grade offered.
Food preservative · Antimould · E282
Food Grade Calcium Propionate
Food-grade calcium propionate (E282 / INS 282) helps control mold and rope spoilage in suitable bread and bakery formulations. Bespring supplies this preservative for bulk procurement. Choose the required particle form and food standard, then compare the reference specifications below with your application and destination requirements.
- CAS number
- 4075-81-4
- Food additive
- E282 / INS 282
- Formula
- C6H10CaO4
- Reference assay
- 99.0–100.5%
Product illustration · grade and packaging specified in your offer
Include the required specification or FCC edition, single ingredient or blend, particle form, quantity, packaging and destination.
Bakery focusedAntimould and antirope functionality
Specification reviewConfirm governing standard and FCC edition
Blend inquiriesDiscuss composition and process requirements
Batch documentsCurrent specification and COA on request
Product overview
What is food grade calcium propionate?
Calcium propionate, also called calcium propanoate, is the calcium salt of propionic acid: CAS 4075-81-4, formula C6H10CaO4, INS 282 and E282. The JECFA identity specification describes white crystals, powder or granules with at most a faint propionic-acid odour. Agree the actual particle form for your mixing and addition process.
Calcium propionate is used to inhibit susceptible spoilage moulds and rope-forming bacteria in appropriate bakery systems. Its effect depends on food pH, water activity, temperature, dose, distribution and the organism. The experimental study of bread-spoilage fungi shows why performance must be checked in the finished formulation; it does not establish a universal dose or pathogen-control claim.
The formula and 186.22 g/mol molar mass shown describe calcium propionate without water of crystallization. If a hydrated material is specified, confirm its hydrate form, corresponding molar mass and assay basis. A water result alone does not identify the crystal form.
Procurement snapshot
- Product name
- Calcium propionate
- Synonym
- Calcium propanoate
- Anhydrous formula weight
- 186.22 g/mol
- Appearance
- White crystals, powder or granules
- Solubility
- Freely soluble in water
- Typical function
- Preservative / antimould / antirope
Match the product to your market
Calcium propionate specifications and product options
E282 identifies the additive; FCC names a specification compendium. These are not mutually exclusive grades. State the governing standard and edition, customer limits and destination market so sales can confirm the offered material and documents.
FCC standard
Ask sales about the FCC-standard option. Specify the edition required by your customer or applicable regulation and request the corresponding limits, analytical methods and supporting documents.
Blended calcium propionate
Discuss a blend when your addition method or formulation calls for a defined preservation system. Confirm every ingredient, active content, carrier, label declaration and agreed performance criteria for the proposed composition.
Need help selecting a grade?
FCC material and blends require their own agreed specifications; the single-ingredient reference table below does not define every offered option. Contact sales with your application and acceptance criteria.
Preservation applications
Calcium propionate applications in bakery systems
Start with the bread or bakery product, spoilage target and manufacturing process. Check the Codex food-category provisions and destination-market rules before selecting an addition level or label declaration.
Packaged bread
Evaluate mould and rope control in the final recipe, package and intended distribution conditions—not only in an unpackaged laboratory sample.
Rolls & buns
For yeast-raised products, monitor proof time, loaf volume and flavour as well as mould-free life. Evaluate the preservative level and dough pH together; fermentation compatibility requires a product trial.
Tortillas & flatbreads
Validate the preservative system against product moisture, water activity, process conditions and the finished packaging format.
Bakery premixes
Assess particle distribution, handling and dosage consistency when calcium propionate is supplied through a dry ingredient blend.
This page covers food-grade bakery sourcing. Approve legal use and labeling for the finished food, qualify the offered grade and validate the preservation system alongside hygiene, baking, cooling and packaging controls.
From ingredient to shelf life
Design a bakery preservation trial around the full system
A useful calcium propionate trial separates preservative performance from process and packaging effects. Define a control, document the variables below and assess repeat batches under realistic storage and distribution conditions.
Formula environment
Record dough and finished-product pH, moisture and water activity. Propionate participates in a pH-dependent equilibrium with propionic acid; the undissociated acid fraction changes with pH.
Process performance
Record dose and its basis (for example, flour weight or finished-food weight), addition point, dissolution or dry-blending method, mixing, fermentation, proof time, bake profile, volume and sensory quality.
Hygiene & cooling
Control post-bake exposure, cooling time and contact surfaces. Recontamination can obscure the effect of a formulation change.
Package & distribution
Use the intended package and challenge realistic storage temperature, transport time and opening conditions across repeat batches.
Technical context: WHO/JECFA discussion of propionate acid–salt activity and primary research on pH, water activity, temperature and fungal response. Use these findings to choose trial variables, not to transfer a laboratory concentration directly to production.
Need a fuller test framework?
Use the calcium propionate for packaged bread application guide to structure preservative screening, package comparison and shelf-life validation.
Technical information
Food grade calcium propionate reference specification
The table retains the supplied commercial limits and example results. Use it for initial comparison; request a lot-identified COA with test date and methods when assessing actual batch quality. Purchase acceptance requires the approved specification and the COA for the supplied lot.
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally to compare all four columns.
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| Test parameter | Unit | Specification | Example result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assay | % | 99.0–100.5 | 99.51 |
| Water | % | ≤ 4.0 | 3.2 |
| pH of 10% aqueous solution at 25°C | — | 7.5–10.5 | 8.0 |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | mg/kg | ≤ 10 | < 10 |
| Fluoride (F) | % | ≤ 0.003 | < 0.003 |
| Water-insoluble matter | % | ≤ 0.2 | 0.12 |
| Magnesium (as MgO) | % | ≤ 0.4 | < 0.4 |
Read the example results correctly
The values illustrate one supplied result set. Request the source COA and its lot/date identification for traceability. Keep the specification limits, actual batch results and requirements for any FCC material or blend separate.
Analytical methods and reporting basis: Agree the assay reporting basis, water or loss-on-drying method, and preparation conditions for the 10% pH solution in the order specification. Request separate lead results and the defined heavy-metals test; these measurements are not interchangeable.
Compare commercial limits with the governing standard
The JECFA monograph specifies assay ≥98.0% on the dried basis, water-insoluble matter ≤0.3%, fluoride ≤30 mg/kg, lead ≤5 mg/kg and iron ≤50 mg/kg. It also specifies loss on drying ≤4% at 105°C for 2 hours. The commercial assay range of 99.0–100.5% can only be compared directly once its basis and method are confirmed; the table has no separate lead or iron result.
Fluoride and EU E282: The commercial limit of 0.003% equals 30 mg/kg (30 ppm by mass), matching the cited JECFA numeric limit. EU Regulation 966/2014 sets the E282 fluoride limit at 20 mg/kg, so the listed commercial limit is less stringent. The example result <0.003% does not establish ≤20 mg/kg. Request the complete EU specification and a sufficiently precise batch result when EU conformity is required.
Independent identity and use references
See the FAO/WHO JECFA calcium propionate monograph, U.S. eCFR 21 §184.1221 and NIH PubChem compound record. The 2025 official CFR text identifies calcium propionate as an antimicrobial agent for specified food categories under GMP and incorporates a named FCC edition. This is a regulatory provision, not a certification of Bespring’s product. Additive identity, purity requirements and finished-food permissions must be assessed separately.
Contact our team for the agreed product specification, analytical methods and batch documents for your destination market.
Supplier qualification
What to verify before approving a calcium propionate source
Name the standard, edition, assay basis and customer-specific limits instead of relying on “food grade” alone.
Confirm separate lead and other required contaminant tests, methods and reporting limits for the destination market.
Agree appearance, particle form and handling criteria that affect dry blending and distribution in the bakery process.
Request a signed specification, TDS, SDS and representative COA for the exact grade or blend. Require the shipment COA and verify any certificate’s product, site and validity scope.
Packaging and logistics references
Calcium propionate packing and export references
The product photograph shows a 25 kg bag. Confirm the offered net weight, bag construction, pallet arrangement, container load and labeled shelf life in the quotation. Sample, warehouse and loading photographs are handling references; current availability and shipment details require order confirmation.
Storage & handling
Maintain product quality in storage
- Store correctlyKeep in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area.
- Keep packaging sealedProtect opened material from moisture, odours and contamination.
- Manage inventoryFollow the labeled shelf life and an appropriate stock-rotation procedure.
- Use the current SDSApply workplace controls and protective equipment appropriate to the task.
Buyer questions
Calcium propionate FAQ
What is food grade calcium propionate used for?
It is used as a preservative, antimould and antirope ingredient. It is especially associated with bread and baked goods, and may also be used in other food categories where destination-market regulations permit.
How does calcium propionate help preserve bread?
It can inhibit susceptible spoilage moulds and rope-forming bacteria. Food pH affects the propionic-acid/propionate equilibrium; water activity, temperature, dose and distribution also affect results. Use finished-product trials to establish mould-free life and fermentation compatibility.
Does E282 mean the same thing as FCC compliance?
No. E282 and INS 282 identify calcium propionate; FCC is a specification compendium. A calcium propionate grade may need to meet both applicable market rules and a named FCC edition. Request the exact specification and supporting results rather than treating these labels as separate grades.
Is blended calcium propionate available?
Contact sales to discuss a blend for your formulation and addition method. Confirm its full composition, active content, carrier, labeling and acceptance criteria; the single-ingredient specification on this page does not describe a blend.
How does calcium propionate differ from sodium propionate?
They are salts of the same acid but have different cations and additive identifiers: calcium propionate is E282 / INS 282; sodium propionate is E281 / INS 281. Compare propionic-acid equivalent, calcium or sodium contribution, physical form and recipe compatibility. Replacing one with the other requires a recalculated formulation and validation, not an automatic equal-weight substitution.
What addition level should I use in bread?
There is no universal addition level for every bread. First establish the permitted use and calculation basis for the food category and market, then conduct controlled trials against the spoilage target while checking proof time, volume and flavour. State whether the amount is calculated on flour, dough or finished-food weight.
Are the example results a COA for my order?
No. They are a supplied reference result set. Request a COA identifying the actual shipment lot and methods, and compare it with your agreed specification. A result reported as less than a threshold may not be precise enough to establish conformity with a stricter limit.
Can I request a specification, COA, TDS or SDS?
Yes. Request the documents applicable to the exact standard or blended product being evaluated. A shipment COA should be checked against the agreed purchase specification.
What information is needed for an accurate quotation?
Provide the governing standard and edition, critical limits, powder or granular preference, single ingredient or blend, quantity, packaging, destination, food application, documents and delivery target.
Continue your evaluation
Related preservation products and resources
Compare calcium propionate with sodium propionate for active basis and cation contribution. When screening potassium sorbate for bakery preservation, evaluate the organism, pH and process in your own product; different preservatives require their own dose and compatibility review.
Application guideCalcium propionate in packaged breadPlan formulation, packaging and shelf-life validation.Related propionateSodium propionateCompare product identity and application requirements.PreservativePotassium sorbateEvaluate a different preservative option for suitable food systems.PreservativeSorbic acidReview another preservation ingredient and its specification.Category hubFood ingredientsBrowse Bespring's broader food ingredient portfolio.
Start a sourcing conversation
Request a calcium propionate quote
Share the technical and logistics details that determine product selection and landed cost. Sales can then respond with the relevant specification, documents and commercial proposal.
- Governing standard, FCC edition or blend composition
- Application and acceptance criteria
- Quantity, packaging and destination
- Target delivery date
Product documents
Request documents
Tell us your grade and destination market so we can confirm which documents are available for your order.
An external reference is not a batch certificate or a Bespring product specification.