| Description |
Widespread in plants especies in essential oils and fruits, mostly in esterified formand is also present in butter, cooked meats, pork fat, white wine, black and green tea, mushroom and Bourbon vanilla. It is used in foodstuffs as antimicrobial and flavouring agent and as preservative. In practical food preservation, the Na salt of benzoic acid is the most widely used form (see <ht>MDQ71-S</ht>). The antimicrobial activity comprises a wide range of microorganisms, particularly yeasts and moulds. Undissociated benzoic acid is more effective than dissociated, thus the preservative action is more efficient in acidic foodstuffs. Typical usage levels are 500-2000 ppm. Benzoic acid is found in many foods, some of which are animal foods, common grape, lovage, and fruits. |
