Preservative Free Food: Facts and Rules

Quick answer: Preservative free food is food with no added preservatives such as sodium benzoate or sulphites. Instead, it stays safe through other methods, for example a fridge, freezing, drying or heat sterilisation such as the retort process. Permitted preservatives, on the other hand, are legal and safe when makers use them within legal limits.

You see “no preservatives” on more and more labels. Many parents and young shoppers look for it, because it sounds simpler. However, many people are also confused. For example, are preservatives harmful? And how can food last without them? This guide explains the basic facts fairly, without scaring anyone.

What is a food preservative?

A preservative is an additive that slows down food spoilage. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), preservatives slow decay caused by mould, air, bacteria and yeast. They also help limit contamination that can cause foodborne illness, including botulism.

Common examples include benzoic acid and its salts, sorbic acid and its salts, and sulphur dioxide and sulphites. Makers often use them in bottled sauces, drinks, jams and food that stays at room temperature after opening.

Why makers use preservatives

To extend shelf life in shops and at home
Also, to cut food waste
To keep food safe when people open and use it many times
So products can travel far without a cold chain

Preservative rules in Malaysia

In Malaysia, the Food Regulations 1985, made under the Food Act 1983, control the use of preservatives. In particular, Regulation 20 covers preservatives. Makers may only use the preservatives listed in the Sixth Schedule, for specific types of food and within set maximum levels.

The Food Safety and Quality Programme of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM) enforces these rules. In addition, the label must declare the additives used, including the functional class such as “preservative” plus its name or INS number.

At the international level, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) assesses additives. WHO explains that this committee sets an acceptable daily intake (ADI), which is the amount a person can take every day over a lifetime without harm.

Note: Permitted preservatives are not banned substances. They are legal and have gone through safety assessment. So choosing preservative free food is a personal choice, not a sign that food with preservatives is unsafe.

How preservative free food stays safe

Food spoils when microbes grow. Therefore, there are several ways to stop them without additives:

Method	How it works	Needs chilling?
Fridge	Slows down germ growth	Yes
Freezing	Pauses germ growth for a while	Yes, a freezer
Drying	Removes the water that germs need	No, if dry and sealed
Sterilising in a sealed container	Heat kills germs, then the seal keeps new ones out	No, before opening

Canned food and retort packs use the last method, so they keep without a fridge until opened. For a comparison, read our guides on canned food and frozen vs retort food.

The retort process: long shelf life with no added preservatives

In the retort process, we cook the food, fill it into a pack and seal it. Then the pack goes through high heat under pressure until it is commercially sterile. Because the heat destroys the germs and the seal stays tight, the food keeps at room temperature with no added preservatives. For details, read our guides on the retort pouch and retort food.

How to read a preservative free food label

Do not rely on the big words on the front of the pack. Instead, check these parts:

Ingredient list. Look for the word “preservative” or an INS number in brackets.
Storage directions. Products without preservatives often need chilling, unless they went through sterilisation in a sealed container.
Expiry date. A short shelf life is normal for fresh products without preservatives, so do not worry about it.
After opening. Most products need chilling, and you should finish them within a few days once open.

If you run a food business, our guide on food labelling in Malaysia explains the label rules.

Preservative free options in your kitchen

You do not need to replace everything in your kitchen. For example, easy options include:

Fresh vegetables and fruit, kept in the fridge
Rice, dried beans and dried spices in sealed containers
Home cooking, chilled or frozen in clean containers
Canned or retort food whose ingredient list has no preservatives

Then check the label each time you buy a new brand, because recipes can change. For long term stock, our long lasting food guide has a fuller list.

Myths about preservative free food

Myth: preservative free food never spoils.
Fact: it can still spoil if you store it the wrong way. So follow the label.

Myth: all long lasting food is full of preservatives.
Fact: canned food and retort packs last because of heat sterilisation and a sealed container.

Myth: all preservatives are harmful.
Fact: permitted preservatives have gone through assessment, and the law limits them. However, if you have an allergy or sensitivity, check the label and ask your doctor.

MakanHubb food with no added preservatives

We cook MakanHubb dishes and pasta, fill them into retort packs, and then sterilise them in our kitchen in Wangsa Melawati. We do not add preservatives, because the heat and the seal keep the food safe. The packs need no fridge and keep for 1 to 2 years before opening. You can eat straight from the pack, or warm the sealed pack in hot water for a few minutes. Prices start from RM12.90 a pack.