Food Preservatives

Food Preservatives: Chemically Halting Microbial Spoilage

Food preservatives are substances added to food specifically to prevent spoilage by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms within it. The most commonly used preservatives include everyday substances such as table salt, sugar, and vegetable oils, together with the synthetic compound sodium benzoate ($C_6H_5COONa$), which is used only in strictly limited quantity and is metabolised by the body once ingested. Salts of sorbic acid and of propanoic acid are also employed as food preserv …