Yes, it has been approved as a safe ingredient by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as well as Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).

FDA
Sodium propionate is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) when used as an antimicrobial agent and a flavoring agent in food with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice. (4)

EFSA
Sodium propionate (E281) is listed in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as an authorised food additive and categorized in “Additives other than colours and sweeteners” (5).

Safety re-evaluation in 2014 and 2016
Its safety has been re-evaluated in 2014 (6) and there are also no safety concerns when sodium propionate is used in meat preparations, processed meat and fish with the maximum level 5,000 mg/kg (7).

UK Food Standards Agency
Categorized in “Others” (8)

Food Standards Australia New Zealand
It is an approved ingredient in Australia and New Zealand with the code number 281. (9)

JECFA
Function Class: food additives, preservative. (10)

Acceptable daily intake: ADI “not limited” set in 1973. (11)

 

http://www.chinafooding.com/Sodium_Propionate