Potassium Sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid and is widely recognized as a preservative ingredient for suitable formulation systems. It is chemically identified as potassium (2E,4E)-hexa-2,4-dienoate and has the molecular formula C₆H₇KO₂ with a molecular weight of 150.22 g/mol.
As a Potassium Sorbate cosmetic ingredient, it is relevant to manufacturers and formulators developing personal care and cosmetic products where preservation is required. Its technical characteristics, water solubility and relationship to sorbic acid make it an important ingredient for preservation-system development.
For companies searching for a Potassium Sorbate Cosmetic Ingredient Manufacturer in India, Potassium Sorbate Cosmetic Grade, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, or Potassium Sorbate Bulk Ingredient, raw-material identity, purity, documentation and finished-product regulatory requirements are important considerations.
Potassium Sorbate is the potassium salt of Sorbic Acid. It is commonly identified by the chemical names Potassium (E,E)-sorbate, Potassium (2E,4E)-hexa-2,4-dienoate, and 2,4-Hexadienoic Acid Potassium Salt.
USP identifies Potassium Sorbate with the molecular formula C₆H₇KO₂ and molecular weight 150.22 g/mol.
The ingredient is commonly supplied as a white to off-white crystalline powder or granular material and is particularly relevant where a water-compatible preservative ingredient is required.
| Parameter | Information |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Potassium Sorbate |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Name | Potassium Sorbate |
| CAS Number | 590-00-1 |
| Alternate CAS | 24634-61-5 |
| EC Number | 246-376-1 |
| Molecular Formula | C₆H₇KO₂ |
| Molecular Weight | 150.22 g/mol |
| Chemical Name | Potassium (2E,4E)-hexa-2,4-dienoate |
| Synonyms | Potassium (E,E)-sorbate; Potassium Sorbic Acid Salt |
| Chemical Class | Unsaturated Carboxylic Acid Salt |
| Function | Preservative |
| Physical Form | White to off-white crystalline powder/granules |
Preservation is an important part of cosmetic formulation development, particularly for products containing water or other components that may support microbial growth.
Potassium Sorbate cosmetic ingredient can be evaluated as part of a properly designed preservation system. Its effectiveness depends on the formulation environment, including pH, composition, water activity, packaging, processing conditions and interactions with other ingredients.
Formulators should therefore assess Potassium Sorbate together with the complete formulation rather than evaluating the raw material in isolation.
Potassium Sorbate may be considered for suitable cosmetic and personal care applications where preservative functionality is required.
Potential applications include:
The actual application and permitted concentration must be determined according to the finished formulation and regulations applicable to the target market.
Formulation pH is an important consideration when developing products containing Potassium Sorbate.
Because Potassium Sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, formulators should evaluate the relationship between the ingredient and the finished-product pH when designing a preservation system.
Important formulation parameters include:
A suitable preservation system should be validated through appropriate formulation stability and microbiological testing.
Potassium Sorbate is substantially more water-compatible than Sorbic Acid and is therefore useful when a sorbate ingredient is required in aqueous formulation systems.
Solubility should nevertheless be evaluated under the actual formulation conditions because temperature, pH, ionic strength, concentration and the presence of other ingredients can influence dissolution.
For commercial formulation development, the actual product specification and supporting technical documentation should be used for final formulation decisions.
Quality specifications are an important part of cosmetic ingredient procurement.
The USP-NF monograph defines Potassium Sorbate as containing NLT 98.0% and NMT 102.0%, calculated on the dried basis.
USP documentation also identifies an HPLC-based organic-impurities procedure for Potassium Sorbate. Importantly, the USP briefing explains that the existing assay and the organic-impurity procedure are not identical analytical purposes. Therefore, an assay value should not automatically be labelled “Assay (HPLC)” unless the actual product specification uses a validated HPLC assay method.
Important quality parameters may include:
The exact acceptance limits should correspond to the approved specification for the supplied grade.
For businesses searching for a Potassium Sorbate Manufacturer in India, quality consistency and appropriate technical documentation are important during supplier qualification.
Swapnroop Drugs & Pharmaceuticals provides technical ingredient information for manufacturers, formulators, R&D teams and bulk buyers evaluating cosmetic and personal-care raw materials.
Potassium Sorbate can be evaluated for bulk ingredient requirements according to the required grade, product specification, packaging and intended application.
Bulk procurement of Potassium Sorbate cosmetic ingredient generally requires evaluation of:
This information helps cosmetic manufacturers and formulation companies establish appropriate raw-material qualification procedures.
Regulatory requirements depend on the finished product, intended use and destination market.
The EU cosmetic framework lists sorbic acid and its salts as permitted preservative substances, with a maximum concentration of 0.6% expressed as acid under the relevant preservative entry.
This 0.6% limit is a finished cosmetic product regulatory concentration, not a raw-material assay requirement. It should therefore not be confused with the USP raw-material specification of 98.0–102.0%.
Manufacturers should verify the current regulations applicable to their specific product and target market before commercialisation.
Potassium Sorbate is particularly relevant to formulators looking for a sorbate-based preservative ingredient that can be incorporated into suitable formulation systems.
During formulation development, manufacturers should evaluate:
Raw Material → Formulation Compatibility → pH → Preservation System → Stability → Microbiological Testing → Regulatory Review
This approach helps ensure that the selected cosmetic ingredient is appropriate for the intended finished product.
Potassium Sorbate is positioned as a functional ingredient for suitable cosmetic and personal-care formulation requirements.
Product identity, CAS information, molecular properties and specification parameters support professional raw-material evaluation.
The ingredient can be evaluated for B2B and bulk procurement requirements based on the required specification.
Appropriate quality documentation and batch information are important for manufacturers qualifying raw materials.
Technical information on Potassium Sorbate helps R&D and formulation teams evaluate the ingredient for appropriate preservation systems.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |
| Assay (HPLC) | 98.0–102.0% |
| Loss on Drying | NMT 1.0% |
| Residue on Ignition | NMT 0.2% |
| Heavy Metals | NMT 10 ppm |
| Water Content | NMT 1.0% |