E231 Preservative

E231 he primary use of is as an agricultural fungicide. It is generally applied post-harvest. It is a fungicide used for waxing citrus fruits. It is no longer a permitted food additive in the European Union but is still allowed as a post-harvest treatment in 4 EU countries.

It is also used for the disinfection of seedboxes. It is a general surface disinfectant, used in households, hospitals, nursing homes, farms, laundries, barbershops, and food processing plants. It can be used on fibers and other materials. It is used to disinfect hospital and veterinary equipment. Other uses are in the rubber industry and as a laboratory reagent. It is also used in the manufacture of other fungicides, dyestuffs, resins, and rubber chemicals.

E231 is found in low concentrations in some household products such as spray disinfectants and aerosol or spray underarm deodorants.

The sodium salt of ortho phenyl phenol, sodium orthophenyl phenol, is a preservative, used to treat the surface of citrus fruits.

Orthophenyl phenol is also used as a fungicide in food packaging and may migrate into the contents.