Sorbic acid E200 – harm, application. Sorbic acid and its properties Our composition contains sorbic acid

Often on the labels of products, cosmetics or medicines that we buy in supermarkets and pharmacies, you can see the mysterious inscription “sorbic acid” (E200). As a rule, the presence of any foreign additives in products is alarming. But is everything so clear? Sorbic acid is a preservative that is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This chemical compound is in high demand due to its strong antimicrobial effects, which prevent premature spoilage of products.

Physical properties of sorbic acid

According to the description, sorbic acid is a white crystalline powder with a weak specific odor, it is practically insoluble in water without heating, it dissolves well in organic and mineral acids, and has a weak sour taste.

History of discovery

This substance was first obtained in the mid-nineteenth century during the distillation of rowan juice by the German chemist August Hoffmann. However, today this compound is produced on an industrial scale exclusively from non-natural components through chemical synthesis, but this does not affect its quality in any way. The synthetic production method was first tested at the beginning of the twentieth century. Subsequently, the disinfecting properties of sorbic acid were established and, already in the twentieth century, it began to be actively used, especially in the food industry.

Safe synthetic preservative - sorbic acid

All preservatives, without exception, are covered with a bad reputation as potential carcinogens, mutagens, etc. in this case It's all due to the lack of information among the average person. The fact is that even ordinary table salt, vinegar, and honey are natural preservatives and have been used by people for a long time to prevent food spoilage, because in those days they didn’t even think about refrigerators! At the moment, when the world's population has increased significantly, as well as its food needs, producers are forced to resort to the help of modern developments in the field of chemistry in order to for a long time extend the shelf life of products.

It is absolutely wrong that natural substances are considered extremely safe - just remember the fact that the most powerful poisons are of plant or animal origin. Modern manufacturers strive to use high-quality preservatives that are effective even when used in minimal quantities. Sorbic acid can also be classified as such, because it meets all the requirements for products of this kind. So, this substance does not interfere with the taste of the final product, does not enter into chemical reaction with packaging materials and, of course, practically harmless to the human body. Although it was first used on an industrial scale back in the mid-twentieth century, sorbic acid has not lost its relevance to this day.

Application

So, sorbic acid is most often used in the production of bakery products, margarine, in the confectionery industry, in the production of fish, meat, canned milk, condensed milk, sausages, hard cheeses, juices, nectars, dried fruits, in various jams and compotes of industrial production. Such a wide range of uses is associated with the ability of sorbic acid to inhibit the growth of mold, which leads to premature spoilage of products. It is important to note that this preservative specifically blocks the division of microorganisms, without completely destroying them, therefore manufacturers try to use sorbic acid in the complete absence of microorganisms in the product.

Harm or benefit?

Is sorbic acid harmful? Any substance can become poison in the wrong hands, it all depends on the dosage. Thus, sorbic acid, when used in large quantities can cause serious allergic reactions, which are accompanied by itching, rashes and redness of the skin. Also, when it enters the human body, sorbic acid destroys vitamin B12. However, this cannot be called a serious risk if the amounts of the preservative are very small, but if it is consumed regularly and in large doses, this can lead to a lack of vitamin B12. This disease is characterized by the following symptoms: deterioration of memory and brain function, disturbances in the hematopoietic system that lead to a decrease in red blood cells, and a decrease in the body's resistance to infections. Without exaggeration, we can say that such a condition poses a threat to human life and health.

Sorbic acid. Dosage

Eating sorbic acid can be considered completely safe if the following dosage for adults is observed - it should be no more than 25 mg per 1 kilogram of human weight. For children under fourteen years of age, pregnant and lactating women, eating foods containing preservatives is extremely undesirable, since the potential harm of sorbic acid to growing and developing organisms has not been fully studied, because no one will conduct experiments on a pregnant woman or child.

However, the Scientific research They also prove that sorbic acid is not capable of causing cancer or any gene mutations. In small doses it even activates immune system human and helps cleanse the body of toxins. Although these properties are not very pronounced, because sorbic acid in the acidic environment of the stomach is almost completely neutralized and subsequently excreted without a trace. The relative safety of sorbic acid is confirmed by the fact that it is approved for use in Russia, Ukraine, most EU countries, and the USA.

The desire of food manufacturers to increase the shelf life of goods puts consumers at risk. Food additives and preservatives help preserve food and improve taste. Most of them, when consumed in permitted quantities, have a neutral effect on the body. Some additives can have negative effects. The benefits and harms of sorbic acid have been studied by experts for a long time, leading to the ban of the preservative in some countries. How exactly does it affect the human body?

What is sorbic acid and what is it for?

Sorbic acid is a natural preservative (other name is E-200). Used in production to increase shelf life, protect against microorganisms and fungi that cause harm. Thanks to its antimicrobial properties, E-200 prevents products from becoming moldy. Colorless, slightly soluble crystals have the formula C6H8O2. Thanks to a number beneficial properties, the preservative is still allowed in Ukraine, Russia, and some European countries. Australian experts consider the additive harmful and have banned it from production. It is generally accepted that sorbic acid in foods is beneficial in reasonable quantities.

History of the discovery of sorbic acid

The history of the discovery began in the mid-nineteenth century. German chemist August Hoffmann was distilling rowan juice when he discovered a natural acid with antimicrobial properties. The suppression of the growth of fungi and other bacteria was beneficial, allowing the later use of the Sorbus rowan juice component in industry.

The story moved quickly. In the mid-50s, large-scale production of sorbic acid began for its use in the food industry.

Benefits and properties of sorbic acid

A natural preservative can bring both benefit and harm to the body, but in an acceptable dosage, sorbic acid has a beneficial effect on humans:

1. Has antimicrobial properties.
2. Used to enhance the activity of the immune system.
3. Useful for increasing the body's detoxification ability.

In the minimum dosage found in food, E-200 is not toxic or carcinogenic.

Scope of application of sorbic acid

Each manufacturer is trying to improve the quality of their products and increase shelf life, for which they use sorbic acid. The scope of application is wide:

1. Making sausages is not complete without adding a component. Only 100 g of the substance is added to the minced meat per 100 kg of product.
2. Red caviar also requires the addition of preservatives. Thanks to the sorbine additive, salmon caviar is stored longer and does not contain dangerous bacteria. For greater benefit, supplement with methenamine.
3. Soft drinks store well with the addition of a natural preservative. Thanks to antibacterial property increase the warranty period to 30 days.
4. Apple ciders do not spoil longer when the substance is added. It is necessary to carefully add the preservative so as not to disrupt the fermentation process.
5. Potatoes are susceptible to fungus and other diseases appearing on tubers. Farmers treat potatoes with mixtures of E-200 before planting.
6. The cheese is processed to avoid the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms.
7. The antibacterial property of E-200 is useful in fish production. It is important to clean fresh fish from bacteria that harm the product.
8. Prunes are susceptible to molding, which is prevented by a preservative.
9. The production of bread and confectionery products is accompanied by the addition of a substance. It is in confectionery products that sorbic acid can be dangerous for children.
10. During production, harmful bacteria are not allowed to enter the wine, which is also helped by sorbic acid.
11. Sorbic acid is used in cosmetics for its moisturizing properties.

Permissible dosage of sorbic acid

It is important not to exceed the permissible dosage, since violating this rule can cause harm to the body. The consumption rate is 25 mg per 1 kg of weight.

Important! E-200 has not been well studied, so use by children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers is undesirable.

Sorbic acid for children

In small doses E-200 does not cause harm children's body. However, in pure form can interfere with absorption, cause swelling, allergic reactions. Food products normally contain very small amounts of preservatives to produce such side effects, but it is better to protect children from their excessive use.

Sorbic acid (2,4-hexanedienoic acid, food additive E200)– trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid. Natural preservative. Contained in rowan, lingonberry, cranberry.

Physicochemical characteristics.

Gross formula: C 6 H 8 O 2.

Structural formula:

H 3 C C H C H C H C H C O O H

Sorbic acid is a weak-smelling, sour-tasting monoclinic colorless crystals, poorly soluble in cold water. Sorbic acid crystals are highly soluble in alcohol and ether.

Inhibitory effect of sorbic acid against microorganisms

Application.

Sorbic acid has an antimicrobial effect, so it is used to increase the shelf life of soft drinks during storage. Sorbic acid provides a guaranteed shelf life of at least 30 days. Due to the fact that sorbic acid is poorly soluble in cold drinking water

Sorbic acid is used as a preservative in the production of cider. Ciders are the products of fermentation of fruit juices using wine yeast. They have a transparent color, without sediment or foreign inclusions. The most popular is apple cider, which is also called “apple kvass.” But other types of cider are also produced. The mass concentration of sorbic acid and its salts in ciders according to GOST R51272-99 should not exceed 200 mg/l in terms of sorbic acid.

When using sorbic acid, two facts should be taken into account: firstly, under the influence of bacteria, 2-ethoxyhexo-3,5-diene can be formed from sorbic acid, which causes the side geranium odor of cider. Secondly, sorbic acid effectively inhibits the development of yeast, and therefore it should be added to cider after fermentation is complete.

The action of sorbic acid is directed against molds, yeasts and bacterial forms, preventing the formation of mycotoxins. Sorbic acid is used as a disinfectant when planting large potato tubers, when it becomes necessary to cut the tubers into 2-3 parts. Such tubers are treated with a 0.01% sorbic acid solution. Sorbic acid is used in methods of traditional care of cheeses with a low second heating temperature (Dutch, Kostroma, etc.) and

Preparation of the suspension: table salt is dissolved in water at a temperature of 80-85 ° C (350 g of salt per 1 liter of water). Sorbic acid is added to the cooled and settled brine at the rate of 80 g per 1 liter of brine. First, sorbic acid is moistened with brine and mixed to a paste-like state in a ratio of 1:2. The resulting paste is introduced into the brine with constant stirring. Stirring is carried out until the end of foaming for 25 minutes. The resulting suspension of sorbic acid is filtered through gauze. The finished suspension is a homogeneous, opaque, cream-colored liquid of low viscosity with the odor of sorbic acid. Store sorbine suspension at a temperature of 10 °C. Before use, the sorbine suspension must be thoroughly mixed. Thoroughly dried cheese heads are processed for 4-6 days. by immersion or uniform application with soft brushes, sponges, napkins.

Sorbic acid is also used as a mold fungicide in the production of processed cheeses. To do this, sorbic acid is dissolved in a small amount of water at a temperature of 25-30 ° C and added at the end of melting 0.1% of the total weight of the components.

In cheese production, sorbic acid is used to create fungistatic packaging materials. The consumption of sorbic acid for these purposes is 2-4 g/m2.

When combined with salting, refrigeration and vacuum packaging, sorbic acid has an antibacterial effect on fresh fish and thereby reduces the formation of trimethylamine and other undesirable odorants and inhibits the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Due to its fairly high activity against mold fungi, it is used for preserving dried fish that are prone to molding, such as cod. The use of sorbic acid in lightly salted East Asian fish products is of great practical importance.

Sorbic acid has a common property with propionic acid (widely used in the preservation of baked goods) - it remains effective in the high pH range. Compared to propionates, sorbic acid exhibits a significantly stronger antimicrobial effect, especially against chalk mold ( Trichosporon variabile), which sometimes appears on rye bread. Sorbic acid in an amount of 0.1-0.2% is added to the flour mass during dough kneading. In baked goods, especially bread, sorbic acid is used not only for economic reasons, but also because of its effect on aflatoxin-forming microorganisms. The use of sorbic acid in baked goods does not pose a problem when baking powder rather than yeast is used as the leavening agent, such as in cakes and other sweet baked goods. In this case, 0.1-0.2% sorbic acid is added to the dough (depending on the type of product and the required shelf life). In bread dough, due to the strong anti-yeast action of sorbic acid, fermentation problems can occur. The slowdown in fermentation must be compensated by increasing the amount of yeast and (or) fermentation time. The form of release of sorbic acid in the form of granules is most convenient for these purposes. The granules slowly dissolve during dough preparation, without affecting fermentation, and act in full force in the finished bread.

Sorbic acid, due to its neutral taste, effectiveness in the high pH range and effectiveness against osmophilic yeast, is used for preserving chocolate and praline fillers. Concentrations from 0.05 to 0.2% are used, depending on the content of sugar, acids and other factors in the product that influence the preservative effect.

Diseases of wines and the use of sorbic acid.

The development of undesirable microorganisms, more often observed in low-alcohol, low-acid wines, causes diseases and biological cloudiness in wines. Diseases are understood as irreversible changes caused by the activity of foreign microorganisms, as a result of which wines acquire unpleasant odors and taste and become unfit for consumption. “Cure” a diseased wine, that is, restore its original state. It is almost impossible, and therefore it is necessary to carefully observe preventive measures to prevent wine diseases. Wine diseases are most often caused by bacteria or yeast.

The most common and dangerous diseases of wine are acetic acid and lactic acid souring, the causative agents of which (acetic acid and lactic acid bacteria) are often found in wines and are well adapted to the conditions of wine production. Wine bloom, caused by filmy yeast, is also widespread, but less dangerous. Diseases such as wine obesity, rancidity, mannitol fermentation (a disease in which tartaric acid and glycerol decompose) have recently become very rare. Wine blossom most often affects dry young wines, especially red ones. Sulfitation does not always guarantee against the development of its causative agents (membranous yeast), since some of their species are sulfite-resistant and reduce sulfurous acid salts into elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide. Filmy yeast, which develops on the surface of wine in incomplete containers, mainly belongs to the yeast genera Candida, Hansenula And Pichia. The main causative agent of wine blossoms is the species Candida mycoderma. To prevent flowering diseases, it is necessary to follow all preventive measures: timely replenish containers with healthy, clean wine material, etc. Acetic acid souring affects low-alcohol (up to 12% vol.), low-acid, low-extractive wines - both old and young. White wines are more susceptible to disease than red wines, which are rich in phenolic substances.

Bacteria that cause acetic acid souring belong to the genus Acetobacter. All healthy wines contain small amounts of acetic acid, which is a natural product of fermentation. Its amount should not exceed 1.2 g/l in young wines, and 2 g/l in old aged wines. Acetic acid bacteria are widespread in nature. They get into wine from berries, the surface of equipment and containers. Sometimes these bacteria develop during the production of red wines (if fermentation occurs on pulp with access to atmospheric oxygen). Milk souring affects all types of wines - dry, with residual sugar (unfermented), dessert, strong and especially low-acid strong wines of the southern regions.

Lactic acid bacteria that cause milk sourness belong to the genus Lactobacillus. Mannitol fermentation is observed in low-acid sweet red wines of the southern regions, as well as in low-acid fruit wines and occurs as a result of the development of heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria of the species Basterium mannitopoeum. Turnus is a disease in which there is decomposition of tartaric acid and glycerol. The causative agent of this disease is rod-shaped bacteria of the species Bacterium tartarophtorum

. It is more often affected by red wines containing few phenolic and coloring substances, and less often by white wines after the end of malolactic fermentation. Wine rancidity is a disease that affects red table wines aged in bottles. Its causative agents are bacteria of the species.

Bacterium amoraccylus Wine obesity (mucilage, stringiness, viscosity) is a disease that affects young low-alcohol, low-acid and low-extract wines, mainly white table wines with residual sugar. This disease is caused by obesity bacteria in symbiosis with acetic acid, lactic acid bacteria and film yeast. Sulfation of wine (at a dosage of up to 100 mg/l) leads to the complete death of bacteria. Wine obesity is the only disease that is fairly easy to treat. First of all, mucus is removed by lining the wine with the obligatory addition of tannin or by pouring it through sprinklers with strong ventilation. After removing the mucus, the wine is sulfated (up to 100 mg/l). After treatment, wine with residual sugar is fermented with pure yeast cultures, since the remaining unfermented sugar can again cause disease in the wine. After treatment, the wine acquires its original appearance

The development of unwanted yeasts in wines leads to biological turbidity, which most often manifests itself in dry and semi-sweet table wines. Experimental data indicate that the sediments of white table wines may consist of 85-98% yeast cells. Biological opacities also include opacities caused by the activity of pathogenic microorganisms. A way to prevent biological clouding of wines is through preservatives: sulfurous acid (E220) and its salts (E221-E228), as well as sorbic acid in the form of potassium sorbate (E202). The latter is used in the form of a concentrated aqueous solution. It is allowed to add sorbic acid (E200) and its salts - sodium, potassium, calcium sorbates (E201-203) individually or in combination in amounts up to 300 mg/l in terms of sorbic acid to grape wines. It is allowed to add sorbic acid (E200) and its salts - sodium, potassium, calcium sorbates (E201-203) individually or in combination in an amount of up to 300 mg/l in terms of sorbic acid to non-alcoholic wines. In addition to biological cloudiness, cloudiness of a biochemical and physicochemical nature may occur in wines. Biochemical cloudiness includes cloudiness of an enzymatic nature (“brown cass”), associated with the presence of oxidative enzymes in grape juice (and subsequently in wine). These enzymes, in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, interact with phenolic compounds. Biochemical haze can be prevented by removing oxygen from the wine, which is done using the enzyme glucose oxidase, usually in conjunction with catalase. In addition, the use of ascorbic acid (E300) and/or sodium isoascorbate (E316) is effective. Both of these antioxidants enhance the effect of sulfurous acid, allowing its concentration to be reduced.

Ascorbic acid

To increase the shelf life of granular salmon caviar, sorbic acid is used. This can be done individually or in combination with methenamine. Sorbic acid works primarily against yeast and mold, but is ineffective against most bacteria. Hexamine, on the contrary, exhibits a bactericidal effect. Thus, these two preservatives complement each other. After salting and separating the brine, a pre-prepared mixture of sorbic acid and methenamine (ratio 1:1) is added to the red caviar at the rate of 0.1% of both preservatives in the finished caviar. After which the caviar is immediately placed in jars.

Receipt.

Sorbic acid E200 is a food preservative. Various discussions are constantly going on around it. Some argue that it is very harmful, others see no reason to worry. There are constant disputes on this basis. So let's clarify this situation by turning to scientific data.

This substance is small crystals that do not dissolve particularly well in water. Sorbic acid belongs to the category of substances of natural origin. The element owes its name to the Latin word “Sorbus” (translated into Russian as “rowan”).

This preservative was invented in the mid-nineteenth century by a German chemist named August Hoffmann. He made it using rowan juice. An equally famous scientist, a certain Oscar Denber, obtained this substance synthetically at the beginning of the twentieth century. He did this by using the Knoevenagel condensation mechanism based on carboxylic malonic acid, as well as croton aldehyde. Thus, sorbic acid became available for production on an industrial scale. Today it is obtained using the ketene condensation mechanism.

This natural preservative has exceptional characteristics due to its composition. One of its advantages is its antiseptic properties. Thanks to this particular feature, sorbic acid prevents the development of various pathogenic bacteria. It is also important that this substance contains no toxic compounds. The studies and experiments carried out did not lead to the detection of any carcinogenic substances in the structure of this acid.

All active elements included in the preservative are widely used in the production of food products and various drinks. The shelf life of food products containing this element is significantly increased. Also, sorbic acid does not change the organoleptic properties of the products themselves, which in some cases becomes a factor of paramount importance.

At the moment, the use of this substance is not limited to the United States of America, and Russian Federation. The preservative is used both to stabilize food (including in the production of baked goods and sweets) and for the production of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).

E200 can also be found very often in meat and sausage products, cheeses and dairy products, as well as in caviar. This is explained by the fact that the substance prevents the formation of mold. For manufacturers of the above products, this fact is an important detail!

These were the benefits that sorbic acid has. In some cases there is also harm from it. It was experimentally established that the composition can cause allergic reactions (sometimes quite severe and long-lasting). But! Doctors have determined the permissible dosage of this substance. Its amount should not exceed twenty-five milligrams per kilogram of human weight. Actually, food manufacturers are familiar with this standard and do not use this substance in large quantities.

Sorbic acid is a natural food preservative that was first obtained from the juice of the common plant (hence the name Sorbus- rowan) in the mid-19th century by the German chemist August Hoffmann. A little later, after the experiments of Oskar Denbner, sorbic acid began to be produced synthetically.

General characteristics of Sorbic acid

Sorbic acid is small crystals, colorless and odorless, very slightly soluble in water, the substance is non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. Used as a food preservative with a wide spectrum of action (calorizator). The main property of Sorbic acid is antimicrobial, preventing the development of pathogenic microorganisms and fungi that cause mold, without changing the organoleptic properties of products and without destroying beneficial bacteria. As a preservative, it increases the shelf life of food products by inhibiting the development of yeast cells.

Food supplement E200 Sorbic acid is easily absorbed by the human body, helps improve immunity and successfully removes toxins, and is a conditionally useful food additive. But, nevertheless, E200 is known for its ability to destroy, which is necessary for the body for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Excessive consumption of products containing sorbic acid can provoke allergic reactions and inflammatory skin rashes. The acceptable consumption rate is 12.5 mg/kg body weight, up to 25 mg/kg is conditionally acceptable.

Application of E200

Traditionally, the food additive E200 is used in the food industry to increase the shelf life of products. Sorbic acid is found in dairy products and cheeses, sausages and other meat products, and caviar. E200 contains soft drinks, fruit juices, sauces, mayonnaise, confectionery products (jams, preserves and marmalades), bakery products.

Other areas of application of Sorbic acid were the tobacco industry, cosmetology and the production of packaging containers for food products.

Application of Sorbic acid in Russia

Throughout the Russian Federation, the use of E200 as a preservative for food production is permitted within acceptable standards.