Preservative E200 - what is this additive?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

E200 preservative - what is it? This question is often asked by those who find the named additive on the product packaging. Today we will talk about what such a preservative is and how it affects the human body.

General information

Preservative E200 is a common sorbic acid. It belongs to the group of food additives and is allowed in the EU, Ukraine and Russia. According to experts, such a preservative is absolutely safe for humans.

Characteristic

Preservative E200 is a natural organic compound. According to its physical properties, sorbic acid is a solid that is slightly soluble in water and has no color. This additive was isolated back in 1859 by distillation of mountain ash oil. Its properties were discovered by experts at the very beginning of the last century. Further, sorbic acid began to be produced on a huge scale and used as an inhibitor of the causative agent of botulism in meat products in order to significantly reduce the amount of nitrites that form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Featuresadditives

Preservative E200 has the ability to protect products from mold. It is this property that has become the reason that the presented additive is very often used in the production of various food products.

Sorbic acid is able to inhibit the development of yeast cells, some bacteria and molds by blocking enzymes. Such a preservative does not destroy microbes, but only slows down their development. In this regard, it is added only to raw materials not contaminated by microorganisms, although some bacteria still have a unique ability to absorb sorbic acid and break it down.

Application

E200 - a preservative (its harm has not been identified by experts), added to a huge list of food products. It should be especially noted that sorbic acid can be used alone or together with other additives. This substance is included in the list of a large number of raw materials for TU and GOSTs for such products as juices, canned milk, margarine, sauces, various cheeses, mayonnaises, dried fruits, wines, olives, jams, preserves, fish, soft drinks, fillings for dumplings, egg products, filled chocolates and sweets, pâtés, baked goods, etc.

During kneading dough, sorbic acid practically does not dissolve and does not inhibit the development of yeast. But after heat treatment, it begins to show anti-mould properties.

Thanks to this additive, the shelf life of most juicesincreases to 27-30 days. Due to the fact that sorbic acid is very poorly soluble in water, in the production of soft drinks, experts advise using not the preservative itself, but its aqueous solution, that is, sodium sorbate. By the way, potassium sorbate is often used for these purposes, which is more stable during storage.

In addition to the food industry, sorbic acid has found its application in tobacco and cosmetics.

By the way, in some cases, the presented additive is replaced by preservative E211. This is sodium benzoate, which ensures the freshness of products, inhibits the development of fungi, yeast cells and certain types of bacteria. In its natural form, it can be found in apples, raisins and cranberries, as well as in spices (cinnamon, cloves).

Effect on the body

How do preservatives E200, E211 affect the human body?

• Sorbic acid is one of the most widely used additives in the food industry. It does not pose a danger to the human body and even has a positive effect on it, as it can increase immunity and remove toxins. However, with a large amount, the E200 preservative can cause skin irritation.

One of the negative properties of this supplement is that it destroys cyanocobalamin (that is, vitamin B12) in the body. Its deficiency is known to contribute to neurological disorders and even nerve cell death.

It should also be noted thatThe presented nutritional supplement is easily digestible, non-toxic, non-antiseptic and non-carcinogenic.