Sustancias químicas o naturales que se añaden a los alimentos, cosméticos o medicamentos con el fin de evitar o retrasar su descomposición.
 
   <(F): Conservateur, additif: substance chimique minérale ou organique, ajoutée aux aliments afin d'améliorer leur conservation.
 
   <(Ing): Preservative, conservative: is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, etc. to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes.