Sorbic acid, not to be confused with ascorbic acid (or vitamin C), is a preservative. It limits above all the growth of moulds and yeasts, and to a lesser extent that of bacteria. A common Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 3 mg/kg bw/day is defined for sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202). There is no a priori risk of exceeding this ADI. A controversy has taken place around the potential mutagenicity of sorbates in association with nitrites, but this has since been invalidated.
Certain cheeses, gnocchi, bread products, certain cold meats, sweets, pastries, sauces, certain alcoholic drinks, jams, jellies, marmalades, seasonings, etc..