Mechanism, application and future development of potassium cinnamate, a new food preservative

2019-12-26

Potassium cinnamate (also known as 3-phenyl-2-acrylic acid potassium; potassium benzoate) is a white crystalline powder, soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol, with natural cinnamon aroma. Potassium cinnamate is a super new generation of functional food preservative, and its appearance has caused shock in the food preservation industry. Traditional preservatives such as potassium sorbate can only change the surrounding environment of food to achieve the purpose of antisepsis, and can not be integrated with food, and even within the limited dosage range, there may still be residues in the human body, damaging health.
Antiseptic mechanism of potassium cinnamate
Potassium cinnamate is widely used in food because of its good solubility. Its antiseptic mechanism is that potassium cinnamate is converted into cinnamic acid under acidic conditions. Cinnamic acid is a weak acid with pKa of 4.37-4.44, and its anti-microbial effect depends on the form of non-ionized acid molecules. When dissolved in water, the weak acid is not fully ionized into ions, but forms a balance between charged and ionic forms and uncharged and non-ionized forms. The ratio of the two forms depends on the pH of the solution. The stronger the acidity of the solution, the more uninionized forms.
Since the 1950s, it has been known that the anti-microbial action of cinnamic acid is through inhibiting the use of phenylalanine and tyrosine by microorganisms. In its non-ionized form, cinnamic acid, as a weak acid preservative, is considered to be soluble in the microbial membrane, enter the cell, ionize in a higher pH environment, and therefore reduce the internal pH, which can effectively affect the activity of many important enzymes, thus ultimately killing the contaminated cells.
Application cases of food preservative potassium cinnamate
Potassium cinnamate can be completely integrated with food and will not become a foreign substance of food. Under the premise of not changing the original flavor and nutrient structure of food, it can achieve the purpose of antisepsis from the inside of food and blend with the surrounding environment.
Here are two cases of potassium cinnamate in practical application:
When selecting potassium cinnamate, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in the United States had carefully worried that potassium cinnamate would change the original taste of their products, which had remained unchanged for hundreds of years, and affect their market. However, after practical trial and repeated follow-up studies, Liangle Company found that potassium cinnamate can not only completely adhere to the original taste of the drink, but also has a better antiseptic effect of more than three times, and can also be converted into essential amino acids after ingestion, supply the necessary trace element potassium for human body, and prevent the occurrence of hypokalemia. Researchers from Liangle Company also found that potassium cinnamate has the effect of expanding vascular smooth muscle, strengthening blood circulation, improving the ability of human body to resist fatigue, regulating body function and enhancing immunity. Coca-Cola has made a health care carbonated beverage with potassium cinnamate as the primary additive, which is sold in Iceland, Finland and other Nordic markets.
Because potassium cinnamate has good solubility and antiseptic properties, and is safe and non-toxic, it is widely used in the processing of cold fresh meat, sausage, ham sausage, preserved meat, canned meat and other meat products. Through many experiments, it has been proved that adding a certain amount of potassium cinnamate in the processing process can play a very good role in preservation and preservation. For example, after being applied to cold fresh meat, it can effectively prevent bacteria and mildew, in addition, it can effectively maintain the color and flavor of fresh meat, and has multiple effects such as water retention, oxidation resistance and stability of fresh meat quality; When used in ham, it can effectively improve the color and flavor of ham sausage, and has multiple effects such as water retention, oxidation resistance and improving the quality of ham sausage, and can reduce the use of sodium nitrite, effectively solve the common problems such as sour and rotten ham sausage and swelling bags.
Prospects for the future development of potassium cinnamate
As potassium cinnamate is the potassium salt of natural cinnamic acid, belonging to natural food preservative, it is non-toxic, harmless, safe and convenient for human body, and has a variety of health functions for human body, so it is a natural food additive with great development and application prospects. At the same time, potassium cinnamate is also widely used in medicine, agriculture, food and other fields.
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