What are the common preservatives?

White particles or crystalline powder, odorless or slightly benzoin. The optimum PH of preservative is 2.5-4.0, and the sterilization effect of products with pH above 5.0 is not ideal. Because its safety is only 1/40 of that of potassium sorbate, its application in food has been completely banned in Japan.

2. Sorbic acid and its salts

White crystalline powder or yellow crystalline powder or scaly. Potassium sorbate is an acidic preservative with high antibacterial performance. It mainly inhibits the growth and reproduction of mold by inhibiting the dehydrogenase system in microorganisms, thus achieving the effect of inhibiting microorganisms and playing an antiseptic role.

3. dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salt.

Dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salt are white or yellowish crystalline powders, which are stable to light and heat, degrade into acetic acid in aqueous solution, and are non-toxic to human body. It is a broad-spectrum preservative and has a strong inhibitory effect on bacteria, mold and yeast in food. Widely used in meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, drinks, cakes and so on.

4. Nipagin ester (i.e. paraben)

Products include methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester and so on. Among them, butyl p-hydroxybenzoate has the best anticorrosion effect. Ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate and propyl ester are mainly used in China.

Extended data

Mechanism of action:

① It can coagulate or denature the protein of microorganisms, thus interfering with their growth and reproduction.

② Preservatives have effects on microbial cell walls and cell membranes. Because it can destroy or damage the cell wall, or interfere with the mechanism of cell wall synthesis, make intracellular substances leak out, or affect the electron transfer system of respiratory chain related to membrane, it has antibacterial effect.

③ It acts on the structure of genetic material or genetic particles, thus affecting the reproduction, transcription and protein translation of genetic material.

(4) It acts on the enzyme system in microorganisms, inhibiting the activity of enzymes and interfering with their normal metabolism.

Baidu encyclopedia-food preservative

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