What are Artificial Preservatives?
Artificial preservatives, or chemical preservatives, are chemicals that when added to food tend to prevent or retard deterioration thereof.However, they do not include common salt, sugars, vinegars, spices, or oils extracted from spices or substances added to food by direct exposure thereof to wood smoke.1
Function
The main categories of artificial preservatives are antimicrobials, antioxidants and chelating agents.Antimicrobials: Antimicrobials agents are added to foods to destroy bacteria or inhibit the growth of mold on food.
- Sorbates: compounds based on sorbic acid. Sorbates are effective against yeasts and molds. Since sorbates can inhibit yeast fermentation, sorbates are applied to bakery products by encapsulation, spraying onto the product as an aerosol or incorporating it into the packaging material.
- Benzoates: compounds based on benzoic acid. Benzoates are inhibitory to yeast and most commonly used to delay spoilage of high acid fillings, fruits and jams.
- Propionates: compounds of propionic acid. Due to their lack of activity against yeast, propionates are the most widely used antimicrobial in yeast-raised baked goods.
- Nitrates: salts of nitric acid. Nitrates are commonly used in meat product.
- Sulfites: a group of compounds consisting of charged molecules of Sulphur combined with oxygen
- Ascorbic Acid: also known as vitamin C
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA): waxy, yellow solid
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): white powdery substance
- Propyl gallate: an ester formed by the condensation of gallic acid and propanol
- Tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ): an aromatic organic compound which is a type of phenol
- Disodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)
- Polyphosphates
- Citric Acid
FDA Regulation
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 582, Subpart D lists chemical preservatives generally recognized as safe.2 FDA CFR Title 21, Part 172, Subpart B lists food preservatives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption.2Concentration of Benzoates as a food preservative is limited by the FDA in the U.S. to 0.1% by weight.2 Under certain circumstances, such as in the presence of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), benzoate salts can produce benzene (carcinogen) in soft drinks; however, the levels of benzene measured do not pose a safety concern for consumers.3
The antioxidants, BHA and BHT, propyl gallate and TBHQ are generally recognized as safe for use in food when the total content of antioxidants is not over 0.02 percent of fat or oil content, including essential (volatile) oil content of food provided the substance is used in accordance with good manufacturing or feeding practice.2
Credit: http://bakerpedia.com/ingredients/artificial-preservatives/
Sorbic Acid
What is Sorbic Acid?
Sorbic acid is a food preservative, primarily used to inhibit mold growth. It is an organic compound, with naturally strong antimicrobial capabilities. This additive is one of the most popular food preservatives, acting as a protectant to many food varieties from yeast and mold spoilage.It is most often found in baked goods, cheeses, wines, fresh produce and refrigerated meat. Due to it’s effectiveness, sorbic acid is used for cosmetics as well.
Origin
Sorbic acid was first discovered in 1859 from unripe berries of the rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia), which is where the name originated. However, it was not until the late 1930s that its antimicrobial properties were revealed. It was discovered first in Germany by E. Muller and then a few months later by C. S. Gooding in the U.S.By the 1950s, it was being produced industrially. The early uses of the sorbic acid salts were to defend meat against the botulism-causing bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Its popularity grew for its organoleptic neutrality and over the last 30 years has become one of the most-used preservatives.2
Commercial Production
Sorbic acid is produced synthetically for commercial use. The main method is creating a condensation reaction of ketene and crotonaldehyde. It is purified with a treatment of sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and activated carbon. For food uses and increased solubility in water, it is granulated by extrusion and pelletization.3Function
Sorbic acid is a carboxylic acid, virtually odorless and tasteless when used in food processing. It is available in powder, granule and solution form or it can be encapsulated. When adding any sorbate form to food products, methods range from treating packaging materials, dipping and spraying foods, or dusting with a dry form.4 Sorbic Acid may also be blended with dry ingredients first, such as flour, salt, or cornstarch, before being added into a formula.Encapsulation allows sorbic acid to be added directly to the dough, preserving the product from the inside out without killing baker’s yeast. The coating of encapsulates are mainly comprised of lipids (fats), and melt away at temperatures above 145oF. This releases the sorbic acid after yeast kill temperatures (140oF) in the oven. Sometimes, encapsulated sorbic acid is used in conjunction with calcium propionate. The combined use of these preservatives can inhibit a broad range of different spoilage microorganisms, extending mold-free shelf life. Encapsulated sorbic acid can also be used in frozen products without affecting its antimicrobial properties.
The advantage of sorbic acid over other food preservatives, such as propionic or benzoic acid, is that it does not impair the final product’s flavor. This is because less sorbic acid is needed by weight over other preservatives. Sorbic acid, as well as its salts, functions best in products with pH between 4.0 and 7.0.
Sorbic acid has a water solubility of around 0.16g/100 ml, and increases with temperature.5 Its solubility is higher in ethanol, but slows with added sugar. Sorbic acid inhibits yeasts strains differently, as some strains are more tolerant to its effects than others.6
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