Preservative E200 - what is this additive?

Preservative E200 - what is it? This question is often asked by those who discover on the package with the products named additive. Today we will talk about what constitutes such a preservative, and how it affects the human body.

General information

Preservative E200 is an ordinary sorbic acid. It belongs to the group of food additives and is allowed on the territory of the EU, Ukraine and Russia. According to experts, this preservative is absolutely safe for humans.

Characteristic

Preservative E200 is a natural organic compound. In its physical properties, sorbic acid is a solid that slightly dissolves in water and has no color. This additive was isolated in 1859 with the help of distillation of rowan oil. Its properties were discovered by specialists at the very beginning of the last century. Further, sorbic acid began to be produced on a large scale and used as an inhibitor of botulinum pathogen in meat products in order to significantly reduce the amount of nitrites that form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Additive Features

Preserving E200 has the ability to protect products from mold. This property also became the reason that the presented additive is very often used in the production of various food products.

Sorbic acid can inhibit the development of yeast cells, certain bacteria and molds due to the blocking of enzymes. Such a preservative does not destroy microbes, but only slows down their development. In this regard, it is added only to raw materials that are not contaminated with microorganisms, although some bacteria still have a unique ability to assimilate sorbic acid and its cleavage.

Application

E200 - a preservative (its harm has not been detected by specialists), added to a huge list of food products. It should be specially noted that sorbic acid can be used individually or together with other additives. This substance is included in the list of a large amount of raw materials for TU and GOST for products such as juices, canned milk, margarine, sauces, various cheeses, mayonnaises, dried fruits, wines, olives, jams, jams, fish, soft drinks, dumplings, Egg products, chocolate with fillings and sweets, pates, bakery products, etc.

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

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

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

By the way, in some cases, the additive presented is replaced with the preservative E211. It 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, suits and cranberries, as well as in spices (cinnamon, cloves).

Influence on the body

How does the preservative 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 threat to the human body and even positively affects it, since it can increase immunity and remove toxins. However, with a large amount of preservative E200 can cause irritation of the skin.

From the negative properties of this additive can be identified that it destroys the body cyanocobalamin (that is, vitamin B12). Its deficiency, as is known, contributes to neurological disorders and even death of nerve cells.

Also it should be noted that the presented food additive is easily digested, it is not toxic, does not show antiseptic properties and is not a carcinogen.

• Preservative E211 (sodium benzoate) is allowed in many countries for food production. It negatively affects the body, as it causes the development of cancerous tumors and provokes allergic reactions. It should especially avoid contact with the eyes and respiratory system. By the way, benzene falls into the human body not only with food, but also with a polluted atmosphere, as well as tobacco smoke.