Does Sabra Hummus Have Preservatives? Yes; Cedar's Skips Sorbate

Sabra Classic Hummus lists potassium sorbate in its ingredient statement, while the Cedar's The Original Hommus ingredient list does not. The two products also differ in oil, sodium, and fat per labeled serving, but the serving weights differ (30 g vs 28 g), so the numbers are not a like-for-like comparison. Potassium sorbate is listed in 21 CFR 182.3640 and is generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice. The label differences below are laid out side by side so you can weigh them.

Key takeaways

• Sabra Classic Hummus lists potassium sorbate, described on the label as added to maintain freshness. Cedar's The Original Hommus does not list it, and Cedar's Our Story page says the company omits potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.
• Both products list citric acid. The Open Food Facts entry for Sabra lists no cumin or guar gum, while Cedar's ingredient statement includes both.
• Per labeled serving, Sabra shows 70 calories, 6 g fat, and 130 mg sodium per 30 g, while Cedar's shows 60 calories, 4.5 g fat, and 115 mg sodium per 28 g.
• Both list sesame (tahini). Sabra's entry also lists soybeans as an allergen, from its soybean oil.
• Both products show 2 g protein per serving.

Does Sabra Classic Hummus Have Preservatives? Potassium Sorbate on the Label

Yes, potassium sorbate, added to maintain freshness, appears in the ingredient statement per the Open Food Facts entry for UPC 0040822027045 (30 g serving). The entry prints the text as "POTASSIUM SORBATE ADDED TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS" alongside citric acid.

A second Open Food Facts entry for the 10 oz (284 g) tub (UPC 0040822011143) also lists potassium sorbate added to maintain freshness, and it names the oil as nongmo soybean oil. Database entries can differ from the package in front of you, and Sabra's own brand page may show a different statement, so read the ingredient statement on the package before relying on any listing.

Does Cedar's The Original Hommus Have Preservatives? What Its Label Shows

No potassium sorbate is listed in the brand-page ingredient statement for The Original Hommus (2 tbsp / 28 g basis). The listed statement reads: steamed chickpeas, sesame tahini, sunflower oil, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, citric acid, cumin, and guar gum. Cedar's Our Story page says the company makes its hommus "while ditching the potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate* that the other guys depend on."

Does Cedar's hummus use citric acid as a preservative?

Citric acid appears in the ingredient statement, and the Our Story footnote describes it as "an organic preserving agent that is naturally occurring in most citrus fruits." The footnote says Cedar's uses citric acid in some foods. The page does not explain how the hummus stays fresh without potassium sorbate, and shelf life or refrigerated days for either brand are not stated.

How Do Sabra and Cedar's Hummus Ingredients Compare Line by Line?

Both ingredient statements start with chickpeas and tahini, and both include garlic, salt, and citric acid. The main differences are the freshness additive, the oils, and two extra items on the Cedar's list. The table below gives the at-a-glance comparison.

Label item	Sabra Classic Hummus (Open Food Facts, UPC 0040822027045)	Cedar's The Original Hommus (brand page)
Serving basis	30 g	28 g (2 Tbsp)
Calories	70	60
Total fat	6 g	4.5 g
Saturated fat	1 g	0.5 g
Sodium	130 mg	115 mg
Protein	2 g	2 g
Chickpeas	Cooked chickpeas (chickpeas, water)	Steamed chickpeas (chickpeas, water)
Sesame	Tahini (ground sesame)	Sesame tahini (ground sesame)
Oil	Soybean oil (tub entry: nongmo soybean oil)	Sunflower oil, olive oil
Salt	Salt	Sea salt
Garlic	Garlic	Garlic
Citric acid	Listed	Listed
Potassium sorbate	Listed, added to maintain freshness	Not listed
Cumin	Not listed	Listed
Guar gum	Not listed	Listed

Footnote to the table: the proportion of each oil in either product was not disclosed. Sabra's Open Food Facts entries list soybean oil, and the tub entry specifies nongmo soybean oil. The serving basis differs, so calorie, fat, and sodium values describe slightly different amounts of product.

Sabra's statement is shorter, with no cumin or guar gum. Cedar's statement names two oils, while Sabra's names one. Neither ingredient statement shown here lists sodium benzoate.

For a comparison with another preservative group, Is BHT (E321) Safe? Uses, Limits, FDA Review, and Labels explains how an antioxidant preservative is named on packaging.

Which Oils Are in Sabra vs Cedar's Hummus: Soybean vs Sunflower and Olive?

Sabra's Open Food Facts entries list soybean oil, and the tub entry specifies nongmo soybean oil. Cedar's brand page lists sunflower oil and olive oil. The proportion of each oil in either product was not disclosed, so the oil blend cannot be compared by amount.

Is soybean oil listed in Sabra Classic Hummus?

Yes. Soybean oil appears in the Sabra Classic Hummus ingredient statement, and the Open Food Facts entry lists soybeans as an allergen.

Does Cedar's hummus contain olive oil?

Yes. Cedar's lists sunflower oil and olive oil in its ingredient statement. Check the package for allergen wording, since that statement is not reproduced in this comparison.

People avoiding soy or sesame should read the allergen line on the package, since sesame appears in both products as tahini. This is general label guidance, not medical advice.

How Much Sodium and Fat Is in 2 Tbsp of Sabra vs Cedar's Hummus?

Sabra's labeled serving shows 130 mg sodium and 6 g total fat per 30 g. Cedar's labeled serving shows 115 mg sodium and 4.5 g total fat per 2 tablespoons (28 g). Serving weights differ, so these are two labeled servings rather than identical portions.

How much sodium is in Sabra Classic Hummus per serving?

The Sabra Open Food Facts entry lists 130 mg sodium per 30 g serving. The tub entry reports the same 2 Tbsp (30 g) basis for calories and fat, and it lists 70 calories and 6 g fat.

How much sodium and fat are in Cedar's hummus per 2 tablespoons?

Cedar's lists 115 mg sodium (5% Daily Value) and 4.5 g total fat (6% Daily Value) per 2 tablespoons (28 g). Saturated fat is 0.5 g (3% Daily Value), and trans fat is 0 g.

The FDA states that the Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day. FDA's general guidance also notes that additives such as sodium benzoate can contribute to the sodium listed on a Nutrition Facts label. That is general guidance about labels, not a statement about either product.

Is Potassium Sorbate Allowed in Hummus? Its FDA GRAS Status

In the US, potassium sorbate is listed in 21 CFR 182.3640 under chemical preservatives and is generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice. GRAS classification describes how regulators categorize an ingredient; it does not describe how any one person will respond to it.

The regulation sits in Subpart D of 21 CFR Part 182, the list of chemical preservatives. On the labels compared here, that is the only freshness additive that separates the two products: Sabra lists it and Cedar's does not.

What Is Citric Acid in Hummus, and Why Do Both Brands List It?

Citric acid is affirmed as GRAS in 21 CFR 184.1033, which describes it as a naturally occurring constituent of plant and animal tissues. The regulation says it may be produced by recovery from lemon or pineapple juice or by mycological fermentation.

Both brands list citric acid, and Cedar's describes it as a preserving agent that occurs naturally in most citrus fruits. Which production method each brand uses is not stated on these labels. Citric acid's presence on both labels is a shared ingredient, not a difference between the products.

Why Do the Serving Sizes Differ: 30 g Sabra vs 28 g Cedar's?

The Sabra Open Food Facts entry uses a 30 g serving, and the Cedar's brand page uses 2 tablespoons, listed as 28 g. Because the weights differ, the calorie, fat, and sodium figures describe slightly different amounts of product.

When comparing labels, look at the serving size line first, then check whether the grams match. Per gram, Sabra's 130 mg works out to about 4.3 mg sodium, and Cedar's 115 mg works out to about 4.1 mg, a small gap that is easy to overstate.

How Can Shoppers Spot Potassium Sorbate and Other Preservatives on a Hummus Label?

Use the ingredient statement, not the front-of-package claims, to find freshness additives. Useful checkpoints include:

• Look for the name potassium sorbate, which may appear with a phrase such as added to maintain freshness.
• Look for sodium benzoate, which Cedar's says it omits from its hummus.
• Look for citric acid, which both products list and which can serve as a preserving agent or an acidulant.
• Check whether guar gum or cumin appears, since these are listed on Cedar's and not on Sabra's entry.
• Confirm the oil names, since the two products list different oils.
• Check the serving size, then compare grams with grams.
• Check the Nutrition Facts panel and the allergen statement on the package you hold.

For another preservative example, Are Sulfites Safe? Wine, Dried Fruit, Asthma, and Labels explains how a different preservative group is labeled and where sensitive groups may need to be cautious.

Which Hummus Label Figures Are Still Uncertain and Next Steps

Sabra's figures come from Open Food Facts entries, not from Sabra's own site, and Sabra's fiber value differs between those entries, so a settled fiber figure is not established. Cedar's figures come from its brand page.

Sabra's own brand page may show a different statement than the database entries, so the current package is the final reference. Shelf life and refrigerated days for either brand are not stated, and the way Cedar's keeps its hummus fresh without potassium sorbate is not explained on the pages cited.

This is an educational comparison of labels, and the evidence has clear limits. Packaged food labels can change, so the package in your hand is the final reference.