Modern food is already difficultpresent without the content of various stabilizers, oxidizing agents and other chemicals. In general, they are a variety of additives that are simply necessary to impart color, taste or smell to the product, as well as to extend its shelf life. Today we will talk about the most common preservatives, as well as the degree of their influence on the human body.
What is a preservative
To preservatives include a wide group of substanceswhich are designed to counteract the development of bacteria. Thanks to the addition of such chemical agents to food, it is possible to significantly increase the shelf life of products. The most famous preservatives that have been used since time immemorial include honey, sugar, salt, wine, acetic and citric acid, and alcohol. They were used long before the development of the chemical and food industries. However, today we are still preparing pickles or canning vegetables and fruits from the dacha.
Preservatives can be natural andsynthetic. And not always synthesized in the laboratory preservatives will be more dangerous to human health than created by nature. According to the method of action, substances of this class are divided into those that modify the environment, thereby achieving the destruction of bacteria, and those that inhibit the vital activity of harmful microorganisms.
Preservative E202 - what is it?
Одним из наиболее распространенных является E202 preservative, or in another way - potassium sorbate. It belongs to the group of natural substances. Apply this substance to the preservation of food. Externally, the sorbate is a granule or powder of white color. It is extracted from the seeds of fruits of certain plants. In addition to natural, there is also a synthesized preservative E202. For this sorbic acid is neutralized with reagents. The result is a salt of calcium, potassium and sodium, which are used to obtain the same sorbates.
Preservative E202 is highly soluble.(the best indicator among all sorbates). 138 grams of a substance can be dissolved in one liter of water at room temperature. Permissible dosage of potassium sorbate is 0.1-0.2% of the mass of products. The use of this preservative is allowed in almost all countries of the world.
Use of potassium sorbate
Potassium sorbate is used during the canning of fruits and vegetables, meat and fish. It is also used during the preparation of egg and confectionery products, juices and soft drinks.
Консервант Е202 тормозит развитие плесени, а therefore, it is also added to sausages and cheeses, rye bread. Due to the fact that the substance has no taste, it is often used in chocolate products. To prolong the storage period, E202 preservative is used in dried fruits, sauces of Oriental cuisine, smoked meats, mayonnaise, jams, wines, etc.
At high levels of acidity, potassium sorbate shows good antimicrobial properties. Almost always, the preservative E202 is present in convenience foods and frozen foods.
Is E202 preservative harmful or not?
Until today, there is no consensus on thisscore. Most scientists have recognized the harmlessness of this substance for the absolute majority of the world's population. But some researchers believe that potassium sorbate, like any other preservative, is not beneficial to human health. In addition, there were several cases of severe allergic reactions to the substance.
Therefore, doctors have developed special ruleswhich take into account the likelihood of an adverse result after applying products with a preservative. This allowed to recognize that the products containing the preservative E-202, is absolutely safe for human health. For example, the rate of sorbate content in mayonnaise should not exceed 2 g per 1 kg of product. For fruit puree and baby food, this figure is 0.6 g per 1 kg.
Preservative E211
The second most popular application issodium benzoate. This substance can be found in low concentrations in prunes, cloves, apples, cranberries and cinnamon. The substance is an odorless white powder and a pronounced taste.
Substance has a depressant effect onenzyme activity in microbial cells that are responsible for the breakdown of starches and fats. In addition, sodium benzoate has a strong effect on mold fungi and other yeast cultures.
Negative effect
Sodium benzoate can form benzene.This happens if the substance reacts with ascorbic acid. As a result of this interaction, a strong carcinogen is formed, which can damage the DNA of mitochondria, which in turn leads to the occurrence of serious diseases.
In the modern scientific community are hotdisputes about the effect of E211 on children's hyperactivity. Because of this, major food manufacturers have taken steps to find an alternative substitute for this substance.
In some states there is a ban onuse of preservative E211. In Europe and the CIS, this food additive is permitted. In addition to the food industry, sodium benzoate is used in the pharmaceutical and aviation industries. This substance is also used to produce a sound effect in fireworks.
Preservatives E211, E202 and a number of other substancesare indispensable in modern society. They allow to receive and use products from the other end of the world. Without their use, one could forget about the overseas juices and exotic fruits, oriental sauces and Swiss chocolate.
