The　photocatalyst　sorbic　acid　(SA)/titanium　dioxide　(TiO2)　was　successfully　synthesized　by　sol–gel　method　and　characterized.　The　composite　exhibited　regularly　spherical　particles　with　the　size　of　50 nm　and　the　specific　surface　area　of　90.3 m2 g−1,　furthermore,　it　showed　mesoporous　structure　and　significantly　improved　dispersion.　SA　was　grafted　on　TiO2　surface　by　–COOTi　and　TiO2　existed　as　pure　anatase　phase　in　the　composite.　The　addition　of　SA　made　the　band　gap　of　TiO2　increased　from　3.03　to　3.35 eV,　which　indicting　that　the　composite　exhibited　a　strong　response　to　the　ultraviolet　light.　The　optimum　preparation　parameters　of　the　catalyst　were　as　follows:　n(Ti):n(SA)　=　1:0.05,　ethanol　60 mL,　glacial　acetic　acid　40 mL,　hydrothermal　temperature　180 °C,　hydrothermal　time　12 h.　The　composite　could　reach　the　4.31　log　reduction　of　E.　coli,　with　the　optimum　catalyst　dosage　of　0.7 g L−1,　irradiated　by　UV　light　for　60 min.　SA/TiO2　was　an　environmentally　friendly,　non-toxic　and　safe　sterilized　nanocomposite　material　appropriate　for　future　bactericidal　applications,　providing　a　new　way　to　effectively　increase　the　dispersion　of　TiO2　particles　to　achieve　superior　photocatalytic　sterilization　efficiency.　©　2020,　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature.