Sodium propionate is a kind of food preservative permitted by GB2760-2011 in my country. It is used in cakes, soy products, etc.; it can be used alone or in combination with propionic acid and sorbic acid; it can also be used as a viscous inhibitor for beer, etc. ; Feed additives, etc. Appearance is colorless transparent crystal or granular crystalline powder, odorless or slightly odor of acetic acid-propionic acid-butyric acid. Stable to light and heat, easily deliquescent in humid air.
The main uses of sodium propionate preservative are:
1. Sodium propionate is an acid-type food preservative, and its bacteriostatic effect is affected by the pH value of the environment. It has strong inhibitory effect on various molds, gram-negative bacilli or aerobic bacillus in acidic medium. It has little effect on preventing the production of aflatoxin, but it is almost ineffective on yeast. In the food industry, it can be used for the preservation of cakes, and the usage amount is 2.5g—kg (calculated as propionic acid).
2. Cosmetic preservatives. It has a wide range of antibacterial effects on mold, yeast and. The antibacterial effect is particularly obvious in acid decomposed. The amount added to cosmetics is usually not more than 2%.
3. Other uses such as: insecticide, antifungal agent, as a masking agent in tanning, to improve the alkali resistance of leather and the uniformity of tanning.
Sodium propionate is prepared by neutralizing propionic acid with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate. Propionic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate until the pH value is neutral to obtain a sodium propionate solution, which is decolorized, filtered, concentrated under reduced pressure, cooled and filtered, sprayed and dried to obtain the finished product. Although the ability of sodium propionate to inhibit mold is lower than that of calcium propionate, it does not affect the effect of chemical leavening agents, so sodium propionate is more widely used in food such as bread than calcium propionate. Calcium propionate has good water solubility and is more convenient to use.