With the increasingly sophisticated food processing technology, food preservatives have become an indispensable role in the development of the industry. In order to ensure that packaged food can be stored better, the application of preservatives also ushered in a huge development market. One of the most modern preservatives in the food sector is sorbic acid, which is chemically close to food and, in addition to being easy to use and cost-effective, is extremely effective against many microorganisms. Moreover, it does not affect the aroma and taste of the products it preserves. Sorbic acid and its potassium and calcium salts (E200, E202 and E203, respectively) have been approved for use in a large number of food products worldwide.
Sorbic acid is an unsaturated hexacarbonate, colorless needle-like crystals or white crystalline powder, tasteless and odorless. Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, a white, almost odorless powder, or granular and therefore extremely low dust. Calcium sorbate is the calcium salt of sorbic acid, an almost odorless white powder.
Sorbic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid similar to those naturally occurring in foods that are broken down and utilized in the body. The ADI is 25mg/kg. Sorbic acid is therefore considered to be food-related and a large number of scientific studies on sorbic acid have been carried out by researchers under the supervision of international authorities, which have proved that sorbic acid and its salts are physiologically inert and not hazardous to health.
Sorbic acid and its salts do not react with other ingredients of food and do not have the property of forming complexes. Therefore, the use of sorbic acid does not affect the bioavailability of, for example, minerals.
Allergic reactions caused by sorbic acid are almost non-existent. Scientific literature shows that sorbic acid has by far the lowest sensitizing properties of all preservatives.
Sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) are approved worldwide as preservatives for use in a large number of food products, and calcium sorbate (E203) is approved for use in some countries. In the United States, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate and calcium sorbate are classified as “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS), a definition that emphasizes the fact that both sorbic acid and sorbate salts are physiologically inert.
The CTFA (Cosmetic Trade and Fragrance Association) in the United States classifies sorbic acid and sorbates as safe for use in cosmetic products.The EC Cosmetics Directive and many national regulations authorize the use of sorbic acid and sorbates as preservatives in cosmetic products. In many countries, sorbic acid and sorbates are approved for use in pharmaceuticals and animal feed.
Applications in meat and aquatic products：
Fish products
For salted fish, potassium sorbate can be added to fish products by placing it in brine or mixing it with dry table salt. Short-term shelf-stable foods (e.g. fish tacos, herring and salmon fillets) can be effectively and permanently protected against bacterial contamination by the addition of potassium sorbate or sorbic acid, even during the storage period and in open-ended packaging formats.
Sorbic acid and potassium sorbate are effective in preventing corrosion of air-dried and smoked fish by molds and yeasts. For example, dried pickled cod is processed by treating the fish with sorbic acid and salt at a level of 2%-4%.
Dried cod can be dipped or sprayed with a 5-10% solution of potassium sorbate to prevent subsequent mold decay. A 5-10% solution of potassium sorbate may be sprayed either before or after smoking the dried fish to inhibit mold growth. The concentration of the final product should be 0.05%-0.15%. The shelf life of small shrimps can be extended by adding 0.4%-0.8% powdered sorbic acid.
Meat and sausage products
Potassium sorbate has obvious antiseptic and antibacterial effects compared with potassium sorbate, and is especially strong against mold. Fresh pork and fresh chicken soaked with potassium sorbate can extend the expiration date, and there is no adverse effect on its sensory characteristics after cooking. The addition of potassium sorbate to cured and smoked meat products reduces the sodium nitrite content, which reduces the potential danger of the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. It also has no adverse effect on the color and aroma of the products. Hard and dry sausages, smoked hams and jerky and similar products can be soaked in a 5%-20% solution of potassium sorbate to prevent mold decay.
Mold growth on sausage casings can be prevented by adding 0.2-0.4% sorbic acid or potassium sorbate. Mold growth can be prevented by adding 0.05%-0.08% sorbic acid to certain frankfurter cooked sausages (with or without casings) during the slicing process or by surface treating the resulting sausages with a 5% solution of potassium sorbate.
Synergistic effect
As potassium sorbate is an acidic preservative, it is recommended to use organic acids, such as citric acid, lactic acid salts, etc. These organic acids not only have their own preservative effect, but also regulate the pH value, which is conducive to the persistent play of the preservative effect of potassium sorbate.
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