antimicrobial agent food preservative antimicrobial food preservative antimicrobial food preservatives antimicrobial preservatives antimicrobial preservative CHEBI:65256 chebi_ontology A food preservative which prevents decomposition of food by preventing the growth of fungi or bacteria. In European countries, E-numbers for permitted food preservatives are from E200 to E299, divided into sorbates (E200-209), benzoates (E210-219), sulfites (E220-229), phenols and formates (E230-239), nitrates (E240-259), acetates (E260-269), lactates (E270-279), propionates (E280-289) and others (E290-299).