Analytical method for preservatives in food was developed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, ethyl salicylate, ethyl p-hydroxy benzoate, iso-propyl p-hydroxy benzoate, n-propyl p-hydroxy benzoate, iso-butyl p-hydroxy benzoate, n-butyl p-hydroxy benzoate, p-hydroxy benzoic acid and dehydro acetic acid were extracted from cooling beverage with diethyl ether. The polar hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of food preservatives were derivatized with N-methyl-N-tert-butyldimethylisilyl-trifluoroscetamide (MTBSTFA) to form the corresponding tert-bytyldimethyl-silylated derivatives, and submitted to GC/MS analysis. The mass spectra of the derivatives were investigated for the selection of monitoring ions for multi-residue analysis of 11 preservatives by GC/MS. The macro program was also developed for the qualitative analysis of these preservatives in food.