FOOD

PRESERVATIVES
FOOD PRESERVATIVES
- are substances added to food that is capable of
inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of
fermentation, acidification or other decomposition
of food by the growth of microbes.
 Characteristics of Food
Preservatives:
 It should not be harmful to human
being.

 It should inhibit the growth of

microorganism even if it is used in
traces.
 The Necessity of Food Preservation:
 To make the food available during the days of scarcity.

 To make fruit palatable, attractive and to increase its

shelf life.

 To prevent spoilage of food by retarding or inhibiting the

growth of microorganisms due to fermentation or
acidification.

 To avoid undesirable changes that occur in colour, taste,

flavour of the food.
Physicals Method of Food Preservation :
1. By Removal of Heat (Cooling): This method involves refrigeration,
freezing, dehydro-freezing, or carbonation. At low temperatures, the
growth of the organism is inhibited. Cooling lowers the temperature of the
substance which prevents the growth of the microorganisms. Fresh fruits,
vegetables are preserved by this method.

2. By Addition of Heat: This method involves pasteurization or

sterilization. This process is also called as canning or heat processing.
Heating kills microorganisms. Hence solid and liquid foods can be
preserved by heating it. Pasteurization is a sterilization process for
preserving food by the addition of heat or by increasing temperature.
Pasteurization of milk is an example of this process.
Physical Method of Food Preservation (Cont..):
Commonly pasteurized food:

• Eggs and egg product

• Juices
• Alcoholic and fermented beverages (beer, wine, cider)
• Dairy products
• Nuts
• Flour and its product (bread, cereal, etc.)
• Canned goods

3. By Removal of Water (Dehydration): This process involves sun

drying, freeze-drying, and puff drying. As water is removed the growth
of the organisms is prevented. Fishes, fruits, vegetables, and food
grains are preserved by this method.
 Chemical Methods of Food Preservation
1. By Addition of Sugar: In this method, sugar is added to the food
which is to be preserved and is then heated. This method is simple and
cheap. This method is used to preserve fruit jams, jellies, and
marmalades.

2. By the addition of salt: Salt is added during the preparation of the

product. Making pickles of raw mango, lemon, chilies, and preservation of
fish products involve this method.
 Chemical Methods of Food Preservation (Cont..):
3. By Addition of Vinegar: Dilute acetic acid commonly known as
vinegar is added to food for preservation. This method is used for the
preservation of pickles of raw mango, lemon, chilies salad dressing,
and preservation of fishes.

4. By Addition of Chemicals: Sodium benzoate, salt o the ascorbic

acid and propionic acid, etc. are used as food preservatives. They
inhibit the growth of microorganisms. These are added in small
quantities to food like jams, jellies, and juices
CHEMICALS USED IN FOOD PRESERVATIONS:
Sodium benzoate
Benzoic acid or its salt of sodium benzoate are used as common food
preservatives. It is soluble in-water and also soluble in food products.
3.06 % to 0.1 % concentration of sodium benzoate is sufficient for the
preservation of fruit juices and squashes.

Potassium metabisulphite and Sodium meta sulphide

It is used for preservation of colourless food materials such as fruit
juices, squashes, apples, litchies and raw mango. These preservatives
react with the acid in the fruit juice producing sulphur dioxide which is
very effective in killing the harmful microorganisms present in the food
and thus prevents it from getting spoiled.
 CLASSIFICATION OF
FOOD PRESERVATIVES:
• CLASS I preservatives or the natural preservatives such
as salt, sugar, vinegar, syrup, spices, honey and edible
vegetable oil

• CLASS II preservatives or the chemical preservatives

such as benzoates, sorbates, nitrites and nitrates of sodium
or potassium, sulfites, glutamates, glycerides and the like.
The food standards regulations require that not more than
one class II preservative to be used on one particular food
item.
 FOOD PRESERVATIVES ARE CATEGORIZED AS:
1. ANTIMICROBIALS that destroy or delay the growth of bacteria,
yeast and molds. E.g. nitrites and nitrates prevent botulism in meat
products. Sulfur dioxide prevents further degradation in fruits, wine and
beer. Benzoates and sorbates are anti-fungals used in jams, salads,
cheese and pickles.
2. ANTI-OXIDANTS that slow or stop the breakdown of fats and oils in
food that happens in the presence of oxygen (Oxidation) leading to
rancidity. Examples of anti-oxidants include butylated hydroxytoluene
(BHT), beta-hydroxy acids (BHA), tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), and
propyl gallate.
 3. ANTI-ENZYMATIC preservatives that block the enzymatic
processes such as ripening occurring in foodstuffs even after harvest. E.g.
Erythorbic acid and citric acid stop the action of enzyme phenolase that
leads to a brown color on the exposed surface of cut fruits or potato.
The following tables shows the type of preservatives used, the typed of
food products they are used in, and their permissible limits for their use.
 Latest Methods of Food Preservation

The latest methods of food preservation are vacuum

packing, freeze drying, ultraviolet or ionizing radiation.
Using these methods microorganisms are destroyed.

Irradiation by gamma rays prevents spoilage of

potatoes and onions.
 Artificial Sweeteners
Natural sweeteners, e.g., sucrose add to calorie intake and
therefore many people prefer to use artificial sweeteners.
Natural sweeteners are metabolized in the body. Excess
consumption of sugar leads to many diseases such as obesity,
diabetes, coronary heart diseases.
The chemical compounds which do not occur in nature but are
synthesized in the laboratory have a sweet taste, but they have
no food value (they have very low-calorie value) are called
artificial sweeteners. They pass through the human digestive
system without being digested
 Saccharin

Ortho-sulphobenzimide, also called saccharin, is the first

popular artificial sweetening agent. It has been used as a
sweetening agent ever since it was discovered by
Constantine Fahlberg and Era Ramsen in 1879.

It is about 550 times as sweet as cane sugar. It is excreted

from the body in urine unchanged. It appears to be entirely
inert and harmless when taken. Its use is of great value to
diabetic persons and people who need to control the intake
of calories.
 Aspartame:

Aspartame is the most successful and widely used

artificial sweetener. It is roughly 100 times as sweet as cane
sugar. 2. It is methyl ester of dipeptide formed from aspaitic
acid and phenylalanine.

Use of aspartame is limited to cold foods and softdrinks

because it is unstable at cooking temperature
 Alitame:

Alitame is high potency sweetener, Hence it is difficult to

control the sweetness of food while using this sweetener.

It is more stable than aspartame, the control of the

sweetness of food is difficult while using it. It is 2000 times
sweeter than sucrose.
 Sucralose:

Sucralose is a trichloro derivative of sucrose. Its

appearance and taste are like sugar.
It is stable at cooking temperature. It does not provide
calories. It is 600 times sweeter than sugar

Note: The use of cyclamates as sweetening agents has been

banned in many countries in view of suspected carcinogenics
effects.
 Editable Colours
Adding colours to the food makes the food more attractive, more
acceptable and palatable. Colour has therapeutic value. The edible
colours are classified into three types
a) natural colóurs,
b) browning colours produced during cooking and
c) additives. Natural colours are
 carotenoids-yellow to red colours
 chlorophyll - green colour flavonoids (anthocyanins) - red to blue colour
 Anthocyanins are widely used in the food and their sources are grapes,
beetroot, sweet potato, cabbage etc.
 Natural colour carotene is safe to be used in food.
 Editable Colours (cont)
Chemical dyes i.e. additives have stronger colours than
the natural colours. Generally, they are azo dyes. They are
not good for health. Tetrazine is a dye used in food for giving
it colour.
Some additives are Chocolate Brown, Quinoline yellow
WS, Sinset yellow, Allura red AC, Patent Blue V, Green S,
Red 2G etc.