PURPOSE: To obtain a food preservative capable of preventing germs or molds from developing in foods, food processing works, kitchens or cooking utensils and preserving the aforementioned foods in good quality for a long period.

CONSTITUTION: A food preservative is characterized as follows. Vitamin E, chitin, chitosan and its hydrolyzate or modified substance, chitosan oligosaccharides, pectin hydrolyzate, lysozyme, etc., are added to ethanol and an organic acid such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid or malic acid is further added thereto.