Sorbic Acid
Sorbic acid is a white, crystalline powder with a slightly acidic taste. It is used as a preservative in food and cosmetics to prevent the growth of molds, yeasts, and fungi. Sorbic acid is effective against many microorganisms and is commonly used in baked goods, cheese, and wine products.
A Safe Preservative
Sorbic acid and its salts, especially potassium sorbate and calcium sorbate, are antimicrobial agents often used as preservatives in food and drinks to prevent the growth of mold, yeast, and fungi. In general the salts are preferred over the acid form because they are more soluble in water, but the active form is the acid. The optimal pH for the antimicrobial activity is below pH 6.5. Sorbates are generally used at concentrations of 0.025% to 0.10%. Adding sorbate salts to food will, however, raise the pH of the food slightly so the pH may need to be adjusted to assure safety. It is found in foods such as various kinds of cheese, bread, muffins, donuts, pies, cookies, protein bars, syrups, lemonades, fruit juices, dried meats, sausages, nuggets, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, pizzas, smoked fish, margarine, sauces, soups, and more.
Sorbic Acid in Cosmetics
In cosmetics and personal care products, Sorbic Acid and Potassium Sorbate function as preservatives and antimicrobial agents. The use of preservatives is required to prevent product damage caused by microorganisms and to protect the product from inadvertent contamination by the consumer during use.
Safety of Sorbic Acid
Sorbic acid is the most common food preservative against molds, bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. It is favored for its organoleptic neutrality, safety, and efficacy in low moisture foods such as cheeses, and bakery.
Sorbic acid is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the FDA and can be used as a chemical preservative in accordance with good manufacturing practice for human consumption.
In the EU, this acid (E200) is listed in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as an authorized food additive and categorized in “Additives other than colors and sweeteners.”
EFSA states that maximum allowed usage level of sorbic acid is 20-6,000 mg/Kg.6 Encapsulated acid was also adopted by the EU in 2011 and by CODEX in 2012.
How to Apply Sorbic Acid?
Sorbic acid is a carboxylic acid that is slightly soluble in water and is available as a powder, granules, or microcapsules. It can be applied to foods using various methods:
- Dipping and spraying finished products with solutions.
- Dusting with powdered sorbic acid
- Mixing into formula dry ingredients
- Treatment of packaging material
Formula
C6H8O2
Assay, Sorbic Acid
99 – 101%
Heavy Metals
10 ppm Max
Lead
2 ppm Max
Arsenic
2 ppm Max
Melting Range
132 – 135 ºC
Packaging
- 50-Lb bags
- 5-Lb pails
- 1-Lb Jars
- Custom packaging upon request
Particle Size
On 25 Mesh (710 Micron) < 1%
On 100 Mesh (150 Micron) < 5%
Where to buy Sorbic Acid?
Sorbic acid can be ordered online at Chemical Store.com, ZChemicals.com, Nutchem.com and ScienceKitStore.com. For large orders and food manufacturing applications please call or email chemical store to coordinate your order with an application specialist.
Description
Sorbic acid appears as white to off-white crystalline powder or granular. It is slightly acidic and has astringent taste.
CAS Number
110 – 44 – 1
EC Number:
203-768-7
Molar Mass:
112.12 g/mol
Residue On Ignition
0.2 % Max
Shelf life
Minimum of 24 months after production/ certification date depending on customers sensitivity to caking. Best before the expiration date on packaging.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Food Applications of Sorbic Acid and Sorbates
Chemistry of Sorbic Acid
Sorbic acid is a naturally-occurring 6-chain unsaturated fatty acid. Its chemical formula is CH3(CH)4CO2H. Its E number is E200. E numbers represent the food additives that are used in the European Union. Sorbic acid appears as white powder or crystalline powder, slightly acidic and has astringent taste. In its dry state, sorbic acid is stable— even at room temperature. But it is unstable in aqueous solutions because it decomposes through oxidation. This forms products such as carbonyl compounds. The rate of oxidation varies depending on several factors. Oxidation is faster under low pH level, exposure to light, and elevated temperature. Browning in foods is a sign of sorbic acid degradation.
While sorbic acid is used by itself as a preservative, it has a low water solubility of 0.15 g/100 mL at room temperature. For this reason, sorbic acid is used for food products of low water content such as dried fruits, cheeses, and baked products. The salts (sorbates) of sorbic acid, particularly potassium sorbate (E202) and sodium sorbate (E201), are more commonly used for applications that require higher water solubility or foods in liquid form. The other salt calcium sorbate (E203) has limited uses.
Sorbate Level in Food Products
Beverages (Fruit juices, carbonate and non-carbonated drinks, wines) 0.02-0.10
Emulsions (Salad dressings, margarine, mayonnaise) 0.05-0.10
Fruit-based products (Jams, jellies, dried fruits, concentrates, purees, syrups) 0.02-0.25
Dairy products (yogurt, sour cream, cheeses such as aged cheese, cottage cheese, processed cheese, and cheese spread) 0.05-0.30
Bakery products (pies, mixes, icings, toppings, cakes, doughnuts) 0.03-0.30
Vegetable-based products (relishes, olives, fermented vegetables, pickles, salads 0.02-0.25
Meat and fish products (salted/smoked fish, sausages) 0.05-0.30
How Sorbic Acid Work As Preservative?
The antimicrobial activity of sorbic acid and its salts is attributed to their undissociated acid molecule. And therefore their efficacy is pH-dependent. The upper limit for its inhibitory activity is at 6.5 in most applications. The lower the pH, the better as a result of more undissociated sorbic acid. However, this upper limit can be raised in low water activity-solutions.
Sorbic acid is the active antimicrobial agent. Sorbic acid works by penetrating the cell, and then changing the internal pH of the microorganism. This interrupts all the functions and metabolic activity of the microorganism and eventually eliminates the microorganism.
Sorbic Acid in Cheese
Cheeses
There are several ways to apply sorbic acid in food. In cheese manufacturing, sorbate is applied on the surface to prevent mycotoxin production. The cheese absorbs the preservative gradually. The rate of absorption depends on the nature of the cheese. Is it porous? How is the fat content? Typically, sorbate is completely absorbed by the cheese in about 2 weeks. In aged cheeses, the longer maturity period makes the least soluble salt, calcium sorbate ideal. Calcium sorbate is very stable against oxidation too.
In pasteurized cheese, mold may be prevented by adding not more than 0.2 % of sorbic acid by weight, potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate or any combination of these.
Sorbic Acid in Food Emulsions
In food emulsions such as salad dressings, fat spreads, and butter, sorbate is often combined with benzoate for better effect. Aside from preserving the food, other benefits of this combination is reduced oxidation, free fatty acid, and thiobacbituric acid. The level of sorbate in emulsions range between 0.05-0.10%.
Vegetable based-products
Pickled and fermented vegetables already are acidic to inhibit mold growth. But adding sorbate at relatively low levels of 0.02-0.25 during fermentation makes them more shelf life stable. What makes sorbic acid more ideal is that it is not very effective against lactic acid bacteria (LABs), which are essential in fermented vegetables. For this reason, it is very effective in suppressing yeast growth without interrupting the fermentation process.
Meat and fish products
The availability of sorbic acid lessens the nitrite levels in meat, particularly in cured meat products. And it is even more effective than other preservative such as acetate and lactate against Listeria monocytogenes in cooked bologna, one study found.
For fish products in vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging, sorbate is added to prevent the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria are capable of thriving despite the absence of oxygen. These microorganisms have the capability to metabolize trimethylamine oxide, the compound responsible for the “fishy” strong foul odor in fish. There are several ways sorbate is applied to fish. These include spraying, in ice, in packaging, in fat, as a powder or by immersion in sorbate solution. Commonly the fish is immersed in a solution of 0.5–2.0% sorbate and 15–20% NaCl (salt) prior to refrigeration.
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