- Sorbic acid
:"Sometimes confused with
ascorbic acid ,Vitamin C ."Chembox new
Name = Sorbic acid
ImageFile = Sorbic acid.svg
ImageName = Sorbic acid
IUPACName = (2E,4E)-hexa-2,4-dienoic acid
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 110-44-1
SMILES = CC=CC=CC(O)O
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = C6H8O2
MolarMass = 112.12 g/mol
MeltingPt = 135 °C
BoilingPt = 228 °C (dec)
pKa = 4.76 at 25 °CSorbic acid, or 2,4-hexadienoic acid, is a natural
organic compound used as a foodpreservative . It has the chemical formula C6H8O2. It was first isolated from the unripe berries of theRowan ("Sorbus aucuparia"), hence its name.Sorbic acid and its mineral salts, such as
sodium sorbate ,potassium sorbate andcalcium 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. The optimal pH for the antimicrobial activity is below pH 6.5 and 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.Sorbic acid is also used as a bio
descaling agent .Sorbic acid should not be confused with other chemically unrelated, but similarly named food additives
sorbitol ,polysorbate , andascorbic acid ("Vitamin C").The E numbers are:
* E200 Sorbic acid
* E201Sodium sorbate
* E202Potassium sorbate
* E203Calcium sorbate Some
mold s (notably some "Trichoderma " and "Penicillium " strains) andyeast s are able to detoxify sorbates bydecarboxylation , producingtrans -1,3-pentadiene . The pentadiene manifests as a typical odor ofkerosene orpetroleum . Other detoxification reactions include reduction to4-hexenol and4-hexenoic acid . [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2253810&dopt=Abstract]ee also
*
Acids in wine References
External links
* [http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2001/ghumra/intro.htm Sorbic acid on chm.bris.ac.uk]
* [http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/40abcj14.htm Sorbic inchem.org]
* [http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/SO/sorbic_acid.html MSDS at University of Oxford]
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