Potassium sorbate is the soluble potassium salt of sorbic acid commonly used as a preservative for food, beverages, personal care, and cosmetic products. Its ability to inhibit mold and yeast growth qualifies potassium sorbate as a preservative since it lengthens shelf life of products in which it is an ingredient. Bell Chem, a nutritional chemical supplier of a myriad chemicals for home and industrial use, lists potassium sorbate as one if its most popular preservatives, and for good reason. Read below for information and uses of this valuable chemical.

• Food: From dried fruit and herbal supplements to fast-food milkshakes, potassium sorbate is a choice preservative. With no flavor, texture, or aftertaste, the white, crystalline powder of potassium sorbate works well in any food or beverage requiring a longer shelf life. It is also added to foods meant to be stored and eaten at room temperature since it fends off bacterial growth without refrigeration.
• Wine: Wineries benefit from adding potassium sorbate to their developing wines. This chemical stabilizes the wine by destroying any yeast remaining after fermentation, thereby stopping the growing/fermenting cycle and keeping the wine from continually acting as a food source for yeast. When the wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is added a second time to ensure no further fermenting occurs.
• Cosmetics: Personal care products, such as face and eye makeup, skin care products, such as lotion, and hair products all utilize potassium sorbate for its antimicrobial action since it maintains the integrity of the products as it protects the skin from unwanted germs. When products last longer and assist in cleansing your skin of bacteria, it’s a win-win situation.

Potassium sorbate is a welcome addition to your preservative inventory. Call Bell Chem, your local nutritional chemical supplier, at (407) 339-2355 (BELL) to order potassium sorbate or any of our other chemicals and supplements. Read our past blogs for information pertaining to preservatives, cleaners, and our full inventory of products.