potassium sorbate 99.5% Industrial Grade Colorless or white scaly crystals or crystalline powders

Potassium sorbate, also known as 2, 4-hexadienate potassium, is the potassium salt of sorbate, the molecular formula is C6H7O2K, white to light yellow flake crystals, crystal particles or crystal powder, odorless or slightly smelly, long-term exposure to air is easy to absorb moisture, be decomposed by oxidation and discoloration. Soluble in water, soluble in propylene glycol and ethanol. It is often used as a preservative and destroys many enzyme systems by binding to sulfhydryl groups of microbial enzyme systems. Its toxicity is much lower than other preservatives and is widely used. Potassium sorbate can give full play to its anticorrosive effect in acidic medium, but has little anticorrosive effect in neutral condition.

Potassium sorbate is made by neutralizing sorbate with potassium hydroxide and has all the basic properties of sorbate except solubility. Potassium sorbate is white or white particles or powder, easy to absorb moisture and in the air is very unstable, easy to oxidation and turn brown, but more stable to light and heat, at 270℃ or so will dissolve and decompose, the pH value of 1% water solution is 7 ~ 8. 

Potassium sorbate's preservative mechanism is the same as that of sorbate, that is, it binds to sulfhydryl groups of microbial enzyme systems and destroys the functions of many enzyme systems. [1] Potassium sorbate can effectively inhibit the activities of mold, aerobic bacteria and yeast, and prevent the reproduction of staphylococcus, botulinum and salmonella, but it is ineffective on anaerobic bacillus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and its inhibiting effect is stronger than its bactericidal effect, so as to achieve the purpose of extending the preservation time of food. While maintaining the original flavor of the food.

Potassium sorbate, the least toxic food preservative, is widely used in the food and feed processing industries, as well as in cosmetics, cigarettes, resins, fragrances and rubber industries. But it is most widely used in food preservative and feed. 

Animal feed industry

Potassium sorbate is a legal feed additive used in animal feed in the United States and the European Union. Potassium sorbate can inhibit mold growth in feed, especially inhibiting the formation of aflatoxin has a very significant effect, so adding potassium sorbate can effectively avoid feed spoilage and deterioration, and still can anti-microbial growth in the intestinal tract of animals. In addition, the neutral taste of potassium sorbate is suitable for use in feed, because animals are more sensitive to changes in food tastes than humans. In addition, as an unsaturated fatty acid, potassium sorbate can be treated as a feed component and easily digested without any adverse effects on animals. In the process of feed storage, transportation and sales, it is easy to deteriorate, so potassium sorbate in the feed industry has a huge application market. 

Food containers and packaging materials

The purpose of food packaging is to protect the contents. At present, food packaging appears to improve the function of materials and the use of active substances materials, in addition to extending the shelf life of packaged food function, but also to maintain the nutrition and safety of food. In the GB 9685-2008 health standard promulgated in 2009, the allowable amount of potassium sorbate in food containers and packaging materials and the maximum residue limit of potassium sorbate are clearly stipulated. In the aspect of plastic production can be according to the production needs of appropriate use, the use of rubber is 0.1%, paper according to the production needs to use, at the same time there is no requirement for sorbate residue. 

To sum up, potassium sorbate can be used directly to add, impregnate, spray or dry powder spray, while packaging materials also have a variety of flexible ways to deal with, and trends, because potassium sorbate properties of natural products, the scope of application and use will gradually expand. 

Food preservative

Potassium sorbate is widely used as a food preservative. In 1982, China approved the use of potassium sorbate and issued a standard, stipulating that the allowable concentration of potassium sorbate in flour products, pickles, cans, dried fruits, dairy products and condiments is 0.02% ~ 0.1%. Adding 1% potassium sorbate to meat products can significantly inhibit clostridium botulinum toxin production. At the same time, sorbate is widely used in low-alcohol wines such as fruit wine, beer and wine, and its preservative effect is ideal. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has set a series of standards for food, clearly stipulating that the maximum dosage of potassium sorbate is 0.28/kg. Each country refers to this standard and sets strict application standards according to its own situation. Using potassium sorbate to treat packaging materials can extend the shelf life of foods such as bread and dried coolers. In view of the limitations of single food additives in application and physical properties, domestic and foreign efforts to develop compound food additives, so as to play the synergistic effect to achieve the best effect. 

(1) Applications in vegetables and fruits

Fresh vegetables and fruits if not timely preservative preservation treatment will soon lose luster, moisture, dry surface wrinkle and easy to produce mold leading to rot, thus causing unnecessary waste. If the surface of vegetables and fruits using potassium sorbate preservative, in the temperature of up to 30℃ can be preserved for a month, but also to keep the green degree of vegetables and fruits does not change. Only five percent of apples that were sprayed with potassium sorbate after being stored at room temperature for four months went bad. Potassium sorbate can even prevent tinplate from oxidizing and rusting. 

(2) The application of meat products

Smoked ham, dried sausage, jerky and similar other dried meat products are briefly soaked in potassium sorbate solution of appropriate concentration to achieve preservative preservation. Meat enema products such as beef sausage, pork sausage, etc., can be directly added in the meat chopping link in the production process, after the finished product, the concentration of 5% potassium sorbate solution sprayed on its surface to achieve preservative preservation. Can also be directly in the general meat, meat filling add appropriate amount of potassium sorbate preservative preservation. Fresh chicken, cooked chicken can be soaked in different formulas and different concentrations of potassium sorbate preservation solution to improve the preservation effect and extend the shelf life. Fresh poultry sprayed with potassium sorbate took twice as long to spoil compared to non-sprayed poultry. 

(3) The application of aquatic products

Fish sausage added 0.1%~0.2% of sorbate and potassium sorbate mixed preservatives, stored at a temperature of up to 30℃ for two weeks, the product will not deteriorate, and the control sample under the same environmental conditions after storage for a week will deteriorate. The fish sausage can be stored for up to seven weeks without spoiling when the temperature is kept between 10 and 15℃ and the internal pH level is controlled below 6. Under normal circumstances, the pH value of fish cake products is between 6.8 and 7.2. Potassium sorbate or its mixture with sorbate can be used for preservative preservation. However, when using the mixture, it is necessary to control the proportion of sorbic acid, because sorbic acid is an acidic preservative, and the elasticity of fish cake products will be affected when the pH value is low. So in order to reasonably solve this contradiction, the content of sorbate in the mixture must be reduced. Dried fish products are relatively dry, in general, water content is less than 30% of the products, will not produce bacterial corruption, but it is easy to mildew. If adding proper amount of potassium sorbate in dried fish products, it can effectively prevent the occurrence of this mildew phenomenon. Smoked fish products can be sprayed before, during or after the smoking process of 5%~10% concentration of potassium sorbate solution for preservation. Fish and shrimp cooked by soy sauce can be stored for two months without spoilage at the temperature of 10~15℃ after adding an appropriate amount of potassium sorbate. Thoroughly cleaned fresh fish, shrimp or other fresh aquatic products, immersed in the appropriate concentration of potassium sorbate preservation solution for 20 seconds, take out, remove the preservation solution and refrigerate, can effectively extend its shelf life. 

(4) in soy sauce and pickle products in the application

Adding proper amount of potassium sorbate in soy sauce can be stored at high temperature for 70 days without the phenomenon of spoilage and mildew. When using potassium sorbate to keep beetroot, pickles, and other preserved vegetable products fresh, appropriate amounts of potassium sorbate can be added to vinegar containing salt. Under normal circumstances, in order to avoid the occurrence of turbid phenomenon of salted vegetable products in the brine, you can first put spices, salt, potassium sorbate dissolved in water and then add vinegar. Pickle was preserved by adding salt and potassium sorbate. 

(5) The application in pastry

When potassium sorbate is used as a preservative for pastries, it should first be dissolved in water or milk, and then added directly to flour or dough. When potassium sorbate is used for preservative preservation of starch food, it is best to acidify the material with a small amount of vinegar first, because potassium sorbate is in the pH value below 5~6 environment when the antibacterial preservative effect is the best. 

(6) The application in beverage

Potassium sorbate can be added to fruit and vegetable juice drinks, carbonated drinks, protein drinks and other drinks, because the addition of potassium sorbate greatly extends the shelf life of products. 

(7) Application of potassium sorbate in preserves and confectionery products

Peanut candy, almond candy and general sandwich candy, can directly add appropriate amount of potassium sorbate to keep fresh. In order to ensure the preservative effect of some high sugar candy products, the amount of potassium sorbate should be increased appropriately.