Form ancient time, men learnt to preserve the excessive food after the harvesting time in order to keep the food for long winter months, food storage, resale and easy to conduct barter to overseas or inland. The method of food preservation is very important because the food is easy to spoil. For example, a large amount of fruits are harvesting and the farmers have to use the food preservatives in order to lengthen the consuming period. The most common method is pickle the fruits by using concentrated salt water. Actually, most of the food preservatives are related to organic chemistry and we used them in our daily life. So, let us discover the food preservatives which are more commonly used in the daily life.
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate
is the most commonly used as the food preservative. Sodium is the first food
preservative that are approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This is
because the sodium benzoate can be produced in a large amount by low cost. And
the sodium benzoate is relatively low toxicity compared to others chemical food
preservatives. Sodium benzoate is actually used to inhibit the growth of yeasts
and molds that are easily spoiled the food. Besides, sodium benzoate is also
can used to inhibit and slower the growth of certain bacteria. Thus, the food
can be preserved longer. In addition, sodium benzoate is soluble and commonly
used in food. Sodium benzoate with the concentration of 0.1% to 0.3% can
inhibit or inactivate the Bacillus cereus, E. coli, Lactobacillus species and
other bacteria. These are the reasons why sodium benzoate is widely used in the
world.
Structure of Sodium benzoate
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| The chemical formula of sodium benzoate is Na (C2H5COO). The formation of sodium benzoate is actually made up by sodium salt and benzoic acid when they dissolved in water, Sodium benzoate also can be produced by using sodium hydroxide and benzoic acid at the laboratory experiment. |
Side Effects of Sodium Benzoate in HEALTH
- · Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Sodium
benzoate might bring the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
ADHD is common symptom that can be found among the children and the adult also.
The patient who affected by this symptom may be forgetful, hardly to pay
attention and also occur directions or display impulsiveness.
- · Asthma Attacks
According
to the Mayo Clinic, it stated that sodium benzoate may cause asthma attack and
also might lead to death if the condition of asthma is very severe. Asthma is
actually causing the difficulty of the breathing by narrowing and swelling the
trachea.
- · Hypertension
Nowadays,
hypertension is the most common symptom that affected the people. Sodium that
contains in sodium benzoate is highly increasing the risk of having high blood
pressure, or hypertension.
Example of food which adding sodium benzoate
In the nutshell,
please try to reduce the intake of sodium benzoate because it is harmful to our
bodies and it also brings many diseases to us.
Ethanol
Ethanol (CH3CH2OH)
is one of the examples used as food preservative. It can be used in wine and
also other foods. For example: the fruits which stored in brandy. Ethanol
usually can be found in the alcoholic beverages. Ethanol is commonly inhibiting
the growth of microorganisms or controls the fermentation of the yeast. Ethanol
can be produced by using fermentation of yeast, sugars and starch. Ethanol is a
clear, volatile and has high solubility in water.
Structure of Ethanol
The chemical formula of ethanol is C2H5OH. Ethanol can be produced when the ethane reacts with steam. The formation of ethanol is reversible.
Side effects of Ethanol
The abuse of
ethanol has many different types of side effects. Mostly, the abuse of ethanol
will cause some severe problems.
- · Diseases.
The
excessive of the consuming of ethanol will cause many diseases. For example,
liver and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and are damaging the nervous system.
The abuse of ethanol not only affects the health of a human being, it will also
effect the mental and cause psychological diseases. For examples, depression,
anxiety, antisocial personality disorders. Ethanol not only harms the body
system and also changes the mental.
- · Accident will increase.
Based on the statistics, most of the car accidents
were causing by the abuse of ethanol. The ethanol was affecting their mental
and reduced their consciousness.
In
conclusion, ethanol should be used wisely in our diet. This is because
excessive intake of ethanol will harm and damage the body system. Thus, the government
should be controlled the alcoholic beverages in the terms of protecting the
people from being affected badly by the ethanol.
In
conclusion, ethanol should be used wisely in our diet. This is because
excessive intake of ethanol will harm and damage the body system. Thus, the government
should be controlled the alcoholic beverages in the terms of protecting the
people from being affected badly by the ethanol.
References:
- Essential Of Functional Foods. Author: Mary K. Schmidl, Theodore P. Labuza Publisher: An Aspen Publication (2000) pg 76
- Excel HSC Chemistry Author: Jim Stamell Publisher: Pascal Press 2008 pg 87
