Sorbic Acid

What is Sorbic Acid?

Molecular Formula (Sorbic Acid); C₆H₈O₂

Molecular Weight; 112.13 g/mol

Chemical Name; Sorbic Acid

CAS Number; 110-44-1

Sorbic acid is the most widely used food preservative worldwide. It is a naturally occurring compound. It is extremely effective in preventing mold formation, which causes spoilage and fatal diseases in food. It is a compound with antimicrobial properties.

The form used in the global market is produced synthetically.

The compound's COOH (Carboxyl Group) is very reactive. It can form salts with Calcium, Sodium, and Potassium.

Molecular Formula: C6H8O2

Other Names Are as Follows:

• Sorbic Acid
• 2-Propenylacrylic Acid
• 2,4-Hexadienoic Acid
• Sorbistat
• trans,trans-2,4-Hexadienoic acid
• E 200

What are the Physical and Chemical Properties of Sorbic Acid?

It is found as a white powder or crystals. It has a mild acidic and characteristic odor.

It is a tasteless substance. It has good solubility in water. It is also soluble in Ethanol.

Its density is 1.2 g/cm³. It is stable under standard storage conditions.

Boiling Point is 228 °C.

Melting Point: 132-135 °C

Its flash point is 127 °C.

It is soluble in many substances. It has very good solubility in ether. It is also soluble in oil.

Its solubility in water increases as the temperature increases. Its solubility in alcohol increases significantly as the alcohol percentage increases. Its solubility in sugar decreases as the sugar percentage increases.

It can be found in powder, granule, and solution form. And it can be encapsulated.

How is it Produced?

Sorbic Acid is produced through a reaction between Ketene and 2-Butenal at a temperature of 30 °C to 80 °C in the presence of +2 valence transition metal salts. In this reaction, a 3-Hydroxy-4-Hexanoic Acid ester is formed. This polyester compound can be obtained with a good yield from bases or acids in the presence of an acid.

For food applications and to increase its solubility in water, it is granulated through extrusion and palletization.

What is the Mechanism of Action of Sorbic Acid in Foods?

Like other fatty acids, it has the property of being metabolized in the body. The long-chain fatty acid degradation (β-Oxidation) that occurs in humans and animals also occurs with the sorbic acid chemical.

β-Oxidation is the process where long-chain fatty acids are broken down into Acetyl-CoA.

Depending on the amount present in the body, under normal conditions, it is completely oxidized to CO₂ and H₂O.

Its straight-chain structure's carboxyl group reacts easily to form salts and esters. Due to the high solubility of its salts in water, its role in food applications is very important.

Due to its sublimation upon heating, it should be added after long boiling and heating processes in its area of use.

The application processes in its areas of use vary depending on the application.

These Application Methods are as Follows;

• By direct addition to the product
• Dipping Method
• Spraying Method
• Dusting Method

What are the Usage Areas of Sorbic Acid?

• It is generally used in foods for its preservative properties.
• When Sorbic Acid and Phospholipid are used together, they have a broad antimicrobial spectrum. It has an inhibitory effect on bacteria, yeast, and molds. At the same time, phospholipid has the ability to soothe the skin. Due to this feature, it plays an important role in the production of wet wipes.
• It is used in a modified form with calcium propionate to extend the shelf life of bread and phyllo dough and to prevent microbial growth. This is because mold and bacteria formation occurs due to high moisture and pH.
• In bakery products, if yeast is used, Sorbic Acid reduces the efficiency of the yeast. Therefore, this compound should not be used when yeast is present.
• The carboxyl group has a strong tendency to react with ions. Sorbic acid is used to preserve meats due to its antimicrobial property, which inhibits bacteria-producing substances in foods.
• It is used to enhance flavor and color in foods.
• It is used as a stabilizing agent in syrups and finished beverages.
• It is used to prevent rust, corrosion, and scale formation on metal surfaces. The corrosion inhibitor produced with Sorbic Acid is made to prevent the corrosion of more specific metals.
• It is an antimicrobial agent. At the same time, it induces a feeling of satiety in humans.
• In the production of heat-treated products, it has a chemical property with a mechanism of action that requires it to be added after long boiling and cooking processes.
• It is used to maintain freshness in foods by utilizing its antimicrobial properties.
• Its advantage over other food preservatives like Propionic acid or Benzoic acid is that it does not spoil the taste of the final product. Therefore, it is consumed more.
• In the cosmetic industry, it has 2 different effects. The first is its ability to inhibit microbes. The other is its effect of preventing the spoilage of the product in which it is used.
• Animal feeds contain mold and mold spores. The reason for this is the organic matter content. Sorbic acid is used in animal feed production to prevent mold formation. If mold in the feed cannot be prevented, the feed quality decreases and can harm the animals that consume it.
• In the medical field, it is added as a microbial inhibition agent in intravenously injected liquid drugs and nutritional solutions during pharmaceutical production.
• It is effective in preserving foods with low pH values.

What are the Factors Affecting its Price?

The price of Sorbic Acid increases in direct proportion to the intensity brought by industrialization.

One of the factors affecting the price is the discovery of new application areas, which causes a proportional increase. The expansion of the food industry increases sorbic acid prices.

The establishment of different production facilities leads to a short-term decrease in prices, in inverse proportion. However, this trend stabilizes over time.

As the prices of the chemical substances used in sorbic acid production increase, the prices will also increase.