Sodium Benzoate as a Food Additive
Sodium benzoate, or benzoate of soda, is a common food preservative not found in nature. While benzoic acid naturally occurs in cranberries, cloves, cinnamon, apples, and tomatoes, for instance, the combination of sodium hydroxide and benzoic acid form sodium benzoate. The addition of this ingredient to foods and beverages enhances solvency. As a food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem recognizes the importance of sodium benzoate in the food and beverage industry and offers the following information on why you should invest in sodium benzoate as a food additive.
Inhibiting Growth
Sodium benzoate is both a bactericide and a fungicide, inhibiting growth of both classifications of microbes. Because it does not kill existing microbes, it is generally added after products have been sterilized or pasteurized. When added to processed foods, sodium benzoate extends shelf life.
Lowering Acidity
Acidic (low pH) environments benefit most from the addition of sodium benzoate as an additive. For this reason, it is often added to “tangy” products, such as lemon sodas, jarred pickles, soy sauce, and salad dressings.
Other Uses of Sodium Benzoate
While other food additives perform many of the above functions, sodium benzoate has other properties not common in almost any other product. It has been found to do the following:
Increase memory and mental cognition by enhancing the plasticity of synapses between areas of the brain;
Treat schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease by curtailing D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) effects on NMDA receptors, which are responsible for maintaining memory function in the brain; and
Lower cholesterol levels by decreasing inflammation. The decrease in inflammation is also responsible for sodium benzoate’s role in countering the effects of autoimmune disorders.
An ingredient that enhances not only food quality and shelf life, but potentially overall health, you can have it all by adding sodium benzoate to your products.
Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including sodium benzoate. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.