Sodium Benzoate. 1 Lb.

Sodium Benzoate. 1 Lb.

Sodium benzoate, also known as soda benzoate or (E211), is a white, crystalline, gelatinous or granulated benzoic acid salt of formula C6H5COONa. It is soluble in water and slightly soluble in alcohol. Salt is antiseptic and is generally used to preserve food. As a food additive it is used as a preservative, efficiently killing most yeasts, bacteria and fungi. Sodium benzoate is only effective in acidic conditions (pH, -6) which means that its most frequent use is in preserves, in salad dressings (vinegar), in carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), in jams (citric acid), in fruit juice (citric acid) and in Chinese food sauces (soy, mustard and duck). It is also found in alcohol-based rinses and in the polishing of silver. More recently, sodium benzoate has been present in many soft drinks such as Sprite, Fanta, Coke Zero. The taste of sodium benzoate can not be detected by about 35% of the population, but for those who have tasted the chemical, they tend to perceive it as sweet, salty or sometimes bitter. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designates sodium benzoate as "generally considered safe" .4 The International Program on Chemical Safety found no harmful effects in humans at doses of 647-825 mg / kg of body mass per day.56 The Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated benzoic acid and its salts several times and found them acceptable for use in food. The last revision was carried out in 1997. [citation needed] Nearly 50 countries in five Codex regions allow the use of benzoic acid and its salts at levels of 1,000 ppm or greater. These countries include the United States, Canada and Mexico.