An Analysis of Acidifiers' Role in Food Preservation

This report explores the use of acidifiers as food preservatives. It begins with an abstract highlighting the significance of acidulants in the food industry for various functions, including preservation. The report then delves into the mechanisms of action of these preservatives, emphasizing how they control microbial growth and extend shelf life by increasing the acidity of food, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of microbes like yeast, molds, and bacteria. The report provides examples of commonly used acidifiers such as benzoic acid, sorbates, and propionates, detailing their effectiveness against different types of microbes and their applications in various food products like baked goods, sausages, and beverages. It also references key sources and provides a table summarizing the preservatives and their sources. The report emphasizes the importance of pH levels in food preservation, the activity of different acidulants, and the impact of acidifiers on food safety and shelf life. Furthermore, the report mentions fumaric and malic acids as effective acidifiers in animal feeds.

ACIDIFIERS AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES.
Acidifiers as Food Preservatives.
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ACIDIFIERS AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES. 2
Abstract
Acidulants are acids that are used in processed foods for various reasons like
preservation, emulsifiers, colorants, gelling and coagulant agents. Therefore these substances are
very vital in the food industry.

ACIDIFIERS AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES. 3
Acidifiers as Food Preservatives.
Microbial agents in foods are controlled by the use of substances called preservatives.
Sodium benzoate and benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sorbic acid and calcium propionates
are examples of organic acids and their salts widely used in the food preservation industry (Igoe,
2011). Microbes such as yeast, molds and bacteria are known to attack processed foods and
hence shorten their shelf-lives and hence, these acidulants are used to prevent their inhibition that
would otherwise result in food spoilage.
The undissociated form of the preservative`s molecule attributes to its effectiveness
against the microbes causing food spoilage. The molecule controls the froth of the microbes in
the food by increasing the acidity of the food since the proliferation of the microbes is dependent
on the pH of the food. A pH of 4.6 and below in foods make the food to be considered as acidic.
Such foods are rarely attacked by food-spoiling microbes. According to (Igoe, 2011), “The
acidulants are used to reduce the pH of the food therefore providing a way of controlling
microbial growth.”
Phosphoric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid and adipic acid are among the few
acidulants used in the food preservation. According to (Igoe, 2011), sorbates have the best
activity of up to a pH of 6.5 followed by the propionates which have an activity of up to a pH of
5.0 and lastly, the benzoates with an activity of up to 4.5.
The sorbates are most effective on yeast and mold inhibition, however, they can have
minimal activity on bacteria. The sorbates are used in sausages, cheese and baked goods.
Propionates on the other hand are effective on molds although they also have very little action on
bacteria and yeast. They are used on baked goods and on processed cheese. They can be used on
yeast baked goods unlike sorbates since their action on yeasts is minimal. Sodium benzoate and

ACIDIFIERS AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES. 4
benzoic acid which are used in acidulated beverages, jams, jellies and relishes are effective
mainly against yeast and have minimal activity on bacteria and molds. Esters of para-
hydroxybenzoic acid called parabons are used to also to effectively control molds in these foods
in addition to also controlling the yeast growth. According to (Bartek, n.d.), fumaric and malic
acids are excellent acidifiers in animal feeds where they mainly act against bacteria in these
animal feeds.
Table showing the
preservatives sourced from (Igoe, 2011).

ACIDIFIERS AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES. 5
References.
1. Igoe, R.S. (2011). Dictionary of Food Ingredients (5th Ed.). Springer Science + Business
Media. 180-184. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-9713-5_2.
2. Bartek. (n.d.). Fumaric and Malic Acids used as Feed Acidulants. Bartek Inc. Retrieved
from, http://bartek.ca/pdfs/BulletinsFumaric/Feed%20Brochure.pdf