Occurrence and exposure assessment of benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and sodium saccharin in condiments from Guizhou Province, China

Food additives are essential for preserving the quality of condiments, particularly in the humid climate of Guizhou. However, the occurrence of key additives, including benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and sodium saccharin, in this region has rarely been studied. This study analyzed these three additives in 481 condiment samples from five major categories in Guizhou Province, using the Chinese national standard HPLC method. Benzoic acid and sorbic acid were detected in 21.2% and 25.3% of samples, with concentrations of 0.011–0.902 g/kg and 0.157–0.758 g/kg, respectively. Products with high water activity (vinegar, soy sauce) exhibited higher concentrations compared to spices and spicy condiments. Sodium saccharin was detected in a single soy sauce sample (0.342 g/kg), despite its prohibition in this category regulated by the national standard. The dietary exposure assessment showed that the estimated risk quotients of benzoic and sorbic acids were below 100% across different population groups, indicating low dietary exposure risk. These findings provide insights into additive use, regulatory compliance, and dietary exposure risk in regional condiment products, offering evidence to strengthen local food safety supervision and support the safe development of Guizhou characteristic flavor products.