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Because food is so important to survival, food
preservation is one of the oldest technologies.
Different ways
and means have been found and improved for the purpose, including
the traditional methods of boiling, freezing, refrigeration,
pasteurising, dehydrating and pickling.
Chemical preservatives have been used for many years. Preservatives are ingredients
that either retard the growth of microorganisms or kill them. The three main
groups of food spoilage microorganisms are bacteria, yeasts and moulds.
The five main preservatives we usually encounter in the food industry are;
 Calcium
propionate (calcium salts of propionic acid)
Sorbic
acid and potassium sorbate (potassium salt of sorbic acid)
Sodium
benzoate (sodium salt of benzoic acid)
Sodium
lactate
Sodium metabisulphite (the most commonly used form of sulphur
dioxide)
The functional part of these ingredients is usually found in the acid form. However,
propionic acid, sorbic acid and benzoic acid are all relatively insoluble in
water. While the salts are more soluble, all dissociate into their active form
at various pH's and may not be active under certain conditions.
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