Quick Search
E202 Potassium sorbate is petitioned for use in organic livestock production as mold inhibitor.
E202 Potassium sorbate was first discovered in the Mountain Ash Tree (Sorbus aucuparia or Sorbus americana).
Today most E202 Potassium sorbate is made synthetically.
CAS: 24634-61-5
MF: C6H7KO2
MW: 150.22
EINECS: 246-376-1
Synonyms
SORBIC ACID K SALT;potassiumsalt,(e,e)-4-hexadienoicacid;potassiumsalt,(e,e)-sorbicaci;potassiumsorbate(e);(E,E)-hexadienoic acid, potassium salt;2,4-potassium hexadienoic acid;potassium (E,E)-hexa-2,4-dienoate;POTASSIUM SORBATE, GRAN FCC/ USP/NF
E202 Potassium sorbate is a naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acid and is completely safe with regard to health and has the lowest allergenic potential of all food preservatives.
E202 Potassium sorbate was also petitioned for use in liquid livestock medications primarily aloe vera juice as a substitute for antibiotics and other various hormones.
The use of chemical food preservatives, except for salts, sugars, spices, vinegar, etc., was not very widespread until the last 200 years.
Progress in the development of food preservatives has not been steady.
With a view to developing more effective, simpler, and less expensive means of food preservation, many chemicals having strong antimicrobial properties were initially utilized for food preservation but were subsequently abandoned when their undesirable physiological and biochemical properties were discovered.
For example, boric acid, salicyclic acid, creosote, and formaldehyde, which were utilized as preservatives in foods during the 19th century, are no longer used.
On the other hand, sorbic acid (SA), benzoic acid, p-hydroxy benzoic acid esters, and sulfur dioxide have proved very useful in various food preservation applications and their use has been officially permitted in almost all countries of the world.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a white crystalline powder.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a potassium salt of sorbic acid.
E202 Potassium sorbate was originally discovered in the 1850’s, and was derived from the Mountain Ash Tree.
Today, E202 Potassium sorbate is synthetically created.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a good food preservatives, fully degradable, similar to fatty acids found naturally in foods.
E202 Potassium sorbate is used to slow the growth of molds and yeasts in foods.
E202 Potassium sorbate is commonly found in margarine, wines, cheeses, yogurts, soft drinks, and baked goods.
E202 Potassium sorbate has been used has a food preservative for many years.
There have been extensive long-term tests that have confirmed its safety and E202 Potassium sorbate is on the Center for Science in the Public Interest list of safe additives.
A potassium salt having sorbate as the counterion.
Sorbates have been reported to be less toxic than benzoate and have been classified as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) additives by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
E202 Potassium sorbate is metabolised to mainly to carbon dioxide.
While the minor amounts are converted to trans,trans-muconic acid (ttMA), which is excreted unchanged into the urine.
Urinary ttMA is a biomarker for the occupational and environmental exposure to benzene.
Ability of trans,trans-2,4-Hexadienoic acid potassium salt (Sorbic acid potassium salt, Potassium sorbate) to induce chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and gene mutations in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells has been examined.
E202 Potassium sorbate is reported to be less genotoxic than the sodium salt analog.
E202 Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, structural formula CH3CH=CH−CH=CH−CO2K.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a white salt that is very soluble in water (58.2% at 20 °C).
E202 Potassium sorbate is primarily used as a food preservative (E number 202).
E202 Potassium sorbate is effective in a variety of applications including food, wine, and personal care products.
While sorbic acid occurs naturally in rowan and hippophae berries, virtually all of the world's supply of sorbic acid, from which E202 Potassium sorbate is derived, is manufactured synthetically.
Food additive in the category of preservatives.
For industrial use E202 Potassium sorbate is obtained from chemical processes, being the potassium salt of sorbic acid E 200.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a good preservative, especially for mold and yeasts, not being efficient against bacteria.
Optimal activity at pH lower than 6.5 (acidic and slightly acidic products).
Sorbates are also used in combination with benzoates in products such as non-alcoholic flavored beverages (soft drinks), low alcohol beverages, liquid tea concentrates (used in dispensers), some preserved fruit and vegetable products, jams, jelies with low sugar content, olives and olive-based products, fish products, curstaceans, shrimps, molluscs, emulsified and non-emulsified sauces, spices, mustard, prepared salads, desserts based on non-heat-treated dairy products, for liquid egg preservation, dietetic foods for special medical purposes, liquid food supplements and chewing gum.
E202 Potassium sorbate Chemical Properties
Melting point: 270 °C
density: 1,361 g/cm3
vapor pressure: <1 Pa (20 °C)
FEMA: 2921 | POTASSIUM SORBATE
storage temp.: 2-8°C
solubility H2O: 1 M at 20 °C, clear, colorless to faintly yellow
form: Powder
pka: 4.69[at 20 ℃]
color: White to light cream
Odor: Odorless
PH Range: 8 - 11 at 580 g/l at 20 °C
PH: 7.8 (H2O, 20.1℃)
Water Solubility: 58.2 g/100 mL (20 ºC)
Merck: 14,7671
BRN: 5357554
Stability: Stable. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents.
Major Application: cleaning products
cosmetics
food and beverages
personal care
Cosmetics Ingredients Functions: FRAGRANCE PRESERVATIVE
InChI: 1S/C6H8O2.K/c1-2-3-4-5-6(7)8;/h2-5H,1H3,(H,7,8);/q;+1/p-1/b3-2+,5-4+;
InChIKey: CHHHXKFHOYLYRE-STWYSWDKSA-M
LogP: -1.72 at 20℃
CAS DataBase Reference: 24634-61-5(CAS DataBase Reference)
EPA Substance Registry System: E202 Potassium sorbate (24634-61-5)
Chemically, E202 Potassium sorbate is a straight chain, alpha beta-unsaturated, trans-trans 2,4 hexadienoic monocarboxylic acid (CH3-CH = CH-CH = CH-COOH).
E202 Potassium sorbate has a molecular weight of 112 and a pKa value of 4.75.
At room temperature E202 Potassium sorbate is a white crystalline solid with a melting point range of 132°-137°C.
E202 Potassium sorbate's solubility in water at 25°C is 0.16% while that of its potassium salt is over 50%.
This higher solubility renders E202 Potassium sorbate a preferred form of sorbic acid in foods.
In oils, however, E202 Potassium sorbate is more soluble than the potassium salt.
E202 Potassium sorbate was first isolated from oil of unripened rown berries (sorbapple or mountain ash berry) by A. W. Hoffmann in 1859.
E202 Potassium sorbate was named after the scientific name of mountain ash {Sorbus aucuparia}, which is the parent plant of rown berry.
The chemical structure of E202 Potassium sorbate was elucidated during 1870-1890 and it was synthesized in 1900 by Doebner by condensation of crotonalhyde and malonic acid.
E202 Potassium sorbate is produced by neutralizing potassium hydroxide with sorbic acid, an unsaturated carboxylic acid that occurs naturally in some berries.
The colourless salt is very soluble in water (58.2% at 20°C).
E202 Potassium sorbate occurs as a white crystalline powder with a faint, characteristic odor.
E202 Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, chemical formula C6H7KO2.
E202 Potassium sorbate's primary use is as a food preservative (E number 202).
E202 Potassium sorbate is effective in a variety of applications including food, wine, and personal care products.
Commercial sources are now produced by the condensation of crotonaldehyde and ketene (Ashford, 1994).
Colorless or white crystalline solid; density 1.36 g/cm3; decomposes at 270°C; soluble in water, 58 g/100 g solution; moderately soluble in alcohol.
Uses
E202 Potassium sorbate and its potassium salt is commonly employed as food preservative in wide range of foodstuffs, such as cheese, pickles, sauces and wines.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a food grade preservative generally regarded as safe (GRAS) worldwide.
E202 Potassium sorbate is the inactive salt of sorbic acid.
E202 Potassium sorbate readily dissolves in water where it converts to sorbic acid, its active form, at a low pH.
E202 Potassium sorbate is very pH dependent.
While E202 Potassium sorbate shows some activity up to pH 6 (about 6%), it is most active at pH 4.4 (70%). At pH 5.0 it is 37% active.
As sorbic acid, E202 Potassium sorbate is considered to be active against mold, fair against yeast and poor against most bacteria.
E202 Potassium sorbate is an unsaturated fatty acid and as such is subject to oxidation (use of an antioxidant like Mixed Tocopherols T50 is recommended).
E202 Potassium sorbate is also sensitive to UV light and may turn yellow in solution.
Gluconolactone is reported to stabilize potassium sorbate against discoloration and darkening in aqueous solutions and may be useful in stabilizing sorbic acid in the water phase of a product.
As mold and yeast inhibitor, like sorbic acid, especially where greater soly in water is desirable.
When dissolved in water, potassium sorbate ionizes to form sorbic acid which is effective against yeasts, molds, and select bacteria, and is widely used at 250 ppm to 1000 ppm levels in cheeses, dips, yogurt, sour cream, bread, cakes, pies and fillings, baking mixes, doughs, icings, fudges, toppings, beverages, margarine, salads, fermented and acidified vegetables, olives, fruit products, dressings, smoked and salted fish, confections and mayonnaise. Therefore, E202 Potassium sorbate is generally used as a powerful food preservative.
E202 Potassium sorbate is a naturally occurring polyunsaturated fat that has antimicrobial properties.
That means that E202 Potassium sorbate helps to prevent the growth of molds, yeasts, and fungus.
E202 Potassium sorbate is found in many food products, especially those which are meant to be stored and eaten at room temperature.
This helps to ward off particles such as mold or fungus that can cause foods to spoil or make people sick.
Baked goods, processed fruits and vegetables or dairy products frequently contain E202 Potassium sorbate. When brewing wine, yeast is used to convert sugar to alcohol.
This process is called fermentation.
When the wine reaches the desired flavour and body, you want to stop the yeast from growing. Potassium sorbate is added to inhibit yeast growth.
E202 Potassium sorbate is used to inhibit molds and yeasts in many foods, such as cheese, wine, yogurt, dried meats, apple cider, soft drinks and fruit drinks, and baked goods.
E202 Potassium sorbate can also be found in the ingredients list of many dried fruit products.
In addition, herbal dietary supplement products generally contain potassium sorbate, which acts to prevent mold and microbes and to increase shelf life, and is used in quantities at which there are no known adverse health effects, over short periods of time.
Labeling of this preservative on ingredient statements reads as "potassium sorbate" and or "E202".
Also, E202 Potassium sorbate is used in many personal care products to inhibit the development of microorganisms for shelf stability.
Some manufacturers are using this preservative as a replacement for parabens.
Also known as "wine stabilizer", potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine.
E202 Potassium sorbate serves two purposes.
When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying.
Yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation.
E202 Potassium sorbate is used to inhibit molds and yeasts in many foods, such as cheese, wine, yogurt, dried meats, apple cider, dried fruits, soft drinks and fruit drinks, and baked goods.
E202 Potassium sorbate can also be found in the ingredients list of many dried fruit products.
In addition, herbal dietary supplement products generally contain E202 Potassium sorbate, which acts to prevent mold and microbes and to increase shelf life.
E202 Potassium sorbate is used in quantities at which no adverse health effects are known, over short periods of time.
Labeling of this preservative on ingredient statements reads as "potassium sorbate" or "E202".
Also, E202 Potassium sorbate is used in many personal care products to inhibit the development of microorganisms to increase shelf stability.
Some manufacturers use this preservative as a replacement for parabens.
Also known as "wine stabilizer", potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine.
E202 Potassium sorbate serves two purposes:
When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, E202 Potassium sorbate renders any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying.
Yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die, no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation.
When a wine is sweetened before bottling, E202 Potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite.
E202 Potassium sorbate is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard ciders, but may be added to table wines, which may not maintain their clarity after fining.
E202 Potassium sorbate also inhibits bacteria, especially Clostridium botulinum.
Tube feeding of potassium sorbate reduces the amount of pathogenic bacteria in the stomach.
Some molds (notably some Trichoderma and Penicillium strains) and yeasts are able to detoxify sorbates by decarboxylation, producing piperylene (1,3-pentadiene).
The pentadiene manifests as a typical odor of kerosene or petroleum.
Pharmaceutical Applications
E202 Potassium sorbate is an antimicrobial preservative, with antibacterial and antifungal properties used in pharmaceuticals, foods, enteral preparations, and cosmetics.
Generally, E202 Potassium sorbate is used at concentrations of 0.1–0.2% in oral and topical formulations, especially those containing nonionic surfactants.
E202 Potassium sorbate has been used to enhance the ocular bioavailability of timolol.
E202 Potassium sorbate is used in approximately twice as many pharmaceutical formulations as is sorbic acid owing to its greater solubility and stability in water.
Like sorbic acid, E202 Potassium sorbate has minimal antibacterial properties in formulations above pH 6.
Antimicrobial effect
Antimicrobial properties of E202 Potassium sorbate were discovered independently in 1939 and 1940 by Muller and Gooding in Germany and the USA, respectively.
After this discovery, E202 Potassium sorbate and its salts were tested and used in a variety of consumer products for inhibition of yeast and molds and certain bacteria.
But E202 Potassium sorbate's use as a food preservative had to wait until 1950 when commercial production commenced.
Initially sorbates were known to be effective inhibitors of yeast and molds, and less so of bacteria.
In 1974 Tompkin et al. reported that addition of 0.1 % E202 Potassium sorbate to uncured sausages delayed the growth of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus as well as growth and toxin production by Clostridium botulinum.
Following these findings, extensive studies were undertaken on the potential use of E202 Potassium sorbate or its salts as antibotulinal agents and preservatives in various types of meats and meat products.
These compounds were tested in combination with low levels of sodium nitrite for the preservation of cured meats and the reduction of potentially carcinogenic nitrosamine in products such as bacon.
Most recently E202 Potassium sorbate has played a very important role in the development of intermediate-moisture foods.
The water activity of these foods is low enough to control the growth of bacteria but not growth of yeast and molds; therefore, E202 Potassium sorbate is used as a very effective antimycotic agent in these products.
E202 Potassium sorbate and its salts are also being used as one of the various "hurdles" employed to control microbial growth in intermediate moisture foods.
Unfortunately, grain and feed provides an ideal environment for molds to proliferate.
Raw materials or feeds in bulk storage are rich sources of energy, proteins and moisture and, thus, are highly conducive to mold growth.
E202 Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, and is much more soluble in water than the acid.
E202 Potassium sorbate will produce sorbic acid once it is dissolved in water and is the most widely used food preservative in the world.
E202 Potassium sorbate is effective up to pH 6.5 but effectiveness increases as the pH decreases.
E202 Potassium sorbate has about 74% of the antimicrobial activity of the sorbic acid, thus requiring higher concentrations to obtain the same results that pure sorbic acid provides.
E202 Potassium sorbate is effective against yeasts, molds, and select bacteria, and is widely used at 0.025 to 0.10 % levels in cheeses, dips, yogurt, sour cream, bread, cakes, pies and fillings, baking mixes, doughs, icings, fudges, toppings, beverages, margarine, salads, fermented and acidified vegetables, olives, fruit products, dressings, smoked and salted fish, confections and mayonnaise.
Maximum level allowable by law is 0.1%.
E202 Potassium sorbate is important to know that the addition of sodium benzoate and/or E202 Potassium sorbate to a food product will raise the pH by approximately 0.1 to 0.5 pH units depending on the amount, pH, and type of product.
Additional adjustment of the pH might be needed to keep the pH at a safe level.
Production Methods
E202 Potassium sorbate is produced by reacting sorbic acid with an equimolar portion of potassium hydroxide.
The resulting E202 Potassium sorbate may be crystallized from aqueous ethanol.
Most of the sorbic acid is generally prepared by a process comprising the steps of reacting crotonaldehyde with ketene in the presence of a catalyst (e.g., a fatty acid salt of zinc) to yield a polyester, and hydrolyzing the polyester with an acid or an alkali, or decomposing the polyester in a hot water.
E202 Potassium sorbate is prepared from sorbic acid and potassium hydroxide.
Preparation
E202 Potassium sorbate is prepared by reacting potassium hydroxide with sorbic acid, followed by evaporation and crystallization:CH3CH=CHCH=CHCOOH + KOH →CH3CH=CHCH=CHCOOK + H2O.
Production
E202 Potassium sorbate is produced industrially by neutralizing sorbic acid with potassium hydroxide.
The precursor E202 Potassium sorbate is produced in a two-step process via the condensation of crotonaldehyde and ketene.
Toxicology
In pure form, E202 Potassium sorbate is a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant.
Concentrations up to 0.5% are not significant skin irritants.
As a food additive, E202 Potassium sorbate is used as a preservative in concentrations of 0.025%–0.1%, which in a 100 g serving yields an intake of 25–100 mg.
In the United States, no more than 0.1% is allowed in fruit butters, jellies, preserves, and related products.
Up to 0.4% has been studied in low-salt, naturally-fermented pickles, and when combined with calcium chloride, 0.2% made "good quality pickles."
E202 Potassium sorbate has about 74% of sorbic acid's anti-microbial activity.
When calculated as E202 Potassium sorbate, 0.3% is allowed in "cold pack cheese food."
The upper pH limit for effectiveness is 6.5.
The maximum acceptable daily intake for human consumption is 25 mg/kg, or 1.75 g daily for an average adult (70 kg).
Under some conditions, particularly at high concentrations or when combined with nitrites, E202 Potassium sorbate has shown genotoxic activity in vitro.
Three studies conducted in the 1970s did not find it to have any carcinogenic effects in rats.
However, a 2009-2023 cohort study of 105,260 participants in France found a 14% increase in overall cancer risk and 26% increase in breast cancer risk associated with high consumption of E202 Potassium sorbate.
