Potassium Sorbate
Potassium Sorbate is not a health supplement but rather a food additive. However, it is one of the most commonly used food additives. It is mainly used to preserve various foods. It is also added to wines to stop the yeast activity and prevent it from multiplying. It can help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and moulds in various food items.1
Of course, like any food additive, it has established safety, but only when consumed responsibly. Generally, foods have about 0.1% to 0.3% of Potassium Sorbate content. It is probably safe as a food additive for daily intake, but one should limit its intake to about 25 mg daily. It is broken down in the body or foods to sorbic acid and potassium salts, making it quite safe in small amounts.1
Although it is not used as a health supplement, it has some indirect health benefits.
Health Benefits of Potassium Sorbate
Some of its indirect health benefits are:
- Food Safety
That is the primary purpose of using Potassium Sorbate in foods. It is a relatively simple inorganic salt; thus, it does not harm the body. However, it is quite good for controlling moulds or pathogenic bacteria and helping to prevent these pathogens from growing in food. It is also a highly accessible method to increase food safety. Thus, adding it in small amounts to foods enhances food safety.1
- Extended Shelf Life
The global human population is large, and food supply chains are now highly complicated, with most people residing in urban areas. Hence, ensuring that food products have sufficient shelf life is vital for food security. Despite some concerns regarding food additives like Potassium Sorbate, it is worth understanding that its benefits outnumber the risks. It plays an important role in extending a food’s shelf life.1
- Does Not Influence Nutritional Value of Food
What is good about Potassium Sorbate is that it does not impart any flavour to the food or does not change its qualities. It does not affect the nutritional value of the food. Sure, it does release some potassium, which is not likely to cause any harm, and many cases is rather beneficial.1
- Non-Toxic and Safe
Above all, Potassium Sorbate is safe and completely non-toxic, as it is mainly converted in the body to potassium and water.1
- Unlikely to Cause Allergic Reactions
Potassium Sorbate is unlikely to cause allergic reactions because it's not a protein-based compound. Allergic reactions typically occur in response to proteins that trigger an immune response in sensitive individuals. Potassium Sorbate, on the other hand, is a salt derived from sorbic acid, which is synthesised from a compound found naturally in berries.
Furthermore, Potassium Sorbate is highly purified during its production process, minimising the presence of impurities that could potentially trigger allergic reactions. This purification process helps ensure a high level of safety and reduces the risk of adverse reactions.
Side Effects of Potassium Sorbate
Potassium Sorbate’s safety has been extensively studied and evaluated by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These agencies have established acceptable daily intake levels for Potassium Sorbate based on scientific research and toxicological assessments. Sorbic acid and Potassium Sorbate are widely used and Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) food additives with an extremely high (25 mg/kg) acceptable daily intake level. Some children between the ages of 6-24 months may actually ingest this amount.2
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