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A preservative is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, etc. to retard spoilage, whether from microbial growth, or undesirable chemical changes.Preservative food additives are often used alone, or in conjunction with other methods of food preservation. A distinction is sometimes made between anti-microbial preservatives which function by inhibiting the growth of insects, bacteria and fungi, and antioxidants, which inhibit the oxidation of food constituents. Common anti-microbial preservatives include sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, sulfites, ( sulphur dioxide, sodium bisulfate , potassium bisulfate , etc.) and disodium EDTA. Antioxidants include BHA and BHT. Other preservatives include formaldehydeProperties General Name Formaldehyde The center of this image represents a carbon atom. Chemical formula H C O Formula weight 30. 03 amu Synonyms methanal methyl aldehyde, methylene oxide CAS number 50-00-0 Phase behavior Melting point 156. 9 °C) Boiling (usually in solution), glutaraldehydeGlutaraldehyde is a colourless liquid used to sterialize medical and dental equipment. It is also used for industrial water treatment and as a chemical preservative. But it is toxic, causing severe eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, along with headach, diatomaceous earthDiatomaceous earth is a substance consisiting primarily of the fossilized remains of diatoms. Its typical chemical composition is 86% silicon, 5% sodium, 3% magnesium, and 2% iron. Diatomaceous earth is also commonly referred to as: diatomaceous silica, d (kills insects), ethanol and methylchloroisothiazolinoneMethylchloroisothiazolinone (5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolinon-3-one) is a preservative with antibacterial and antifungal effects, it is effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, yeast and fungi. It is found in many water-based personal. The benefits and safety of many artificial food additives (including preservatives) are the subject of debate.
Some methods of food preservation involve the use of saltFor other meanings of the word salt see salt (disambiguation In chemistry, a salt is a composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. They are typically the product of a chemi, sugarThis article deals with sugar as food and as an important, widely traded commodity; the word also has other uses; see Sugar (disambiguation A sugar is a form of carbohydrate; the most commonly used sugar is a white crystalline solid, sucrose; used to alte or vinegarVinegar (from Old French vinaigre "sour wine") is a sour liquid made from the oxidation of ethanol in wine, cider, beer, or the like. Vinegar is typically three to five percent by volume acetic acid, and natural vinegars also contain smaller amounts of ta, which are sometimes considered to be foods rather than additives.
See also
Food additives
