In the modern food industry without preservatives, which allow to increase the shelf life of products, more than one enterprise does not do. However, if several decades ago, completely harmless and environmentally friendly substances like salt and citric acid were used for these purposes, then chemical compounds are widely used today. Among them, potassium sorbate, known to consumers as E202, which was originally obtained from the juice of mountain ash. However, this technology has long been outdated, and today potassium sorbate is successfully synthesized chemically. It is believed that this preservative does not adversely affect the human body. But is it really?
What is good potassium sorbate?
Laboratory and medical studies of E202 showed that this substance does not affect human hormones, is not a carcinogen and does not contribute to the development of oncology. There is also no association between potassium sorbate and the gene mutation. Among the advantages of such additives should be noted its hypoallergenic and rather pleasant taste. Plus, potassium sorbate has established itself as an excellent antibacterial and antiseptic. Products with such an additive are protected from mold and mildew, which is not too bad, considering that E202 is added to various drinks, sweets, sausages, cheeses, sauces and even rye bread. It should be noted that E202 readily dissolves in water and is easily removed from the body naturally, therefore this preservative is successfully used in almost all civilized countries of the world without any restrictions.
Harm of potassium sorbate
You need to immediately make a reservation that if the dosage of this product is observed, then it is really harmless to humans. In any product, the specific mass of potassium sorbate should not exceed 0, 2%. If this condition is violated, the consequences of the use of products with this preservative can be very sad. Since E202 is an acid, overdose has a negative effect on the oral mucosa and the stomach.
In the food industry, potassium sorbate is used relatively recently, not more than half a century. However, during this time, only a few cases of allergy to this substance were recorded, which is related to the individual intolerance to E202. This is a very good indicator, but one should not pay attention to it if the technological process of production of certain foodstuffs is disturbed. If the permissible norm is exceeded, potassium sorbate can provoke premature labor and gastric bleeding, causing impaired kidney and liver function. It is proved that if the specific proportion of the content of E202 in the body exceeds 5 g per 1 kg of body weight, then the person dies. However, in order to achieve such a concentration of preservative in the blood, it is necessary to eat it with spoons, which, of course, no sensible person will do.
