Sorbic acid(CAS.NO:110-44-1) reacts with other chemical compounds to make what are known as derivatives. Such derivatives include calcium sorbate, potassium sorbate, and sodium sorbate.
Sorbic acid was first made by the hydrolysis of oil distilled from unripe mountain-ash berries in 1859. In 1900, the first synthesis or sorbic acid was performed by Doebner. Sorbic acid was made from crotonaldehyde and malonic acid in pyridine. The antifungal effects of sorbic acid were discovered in the 1940s. Sorbic acid was not used as an additive before that time. Food applications of sorbates expanded rapidly after the issuance of the original patents in 1945.
In the United States, sorbic acid is primarily used in a wide range of food and feed products and to a lesser in certain cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and tobacco products. Sorbic acid is used as a preservative at concentrations of up to 0.2%. Sorbic acid is commonly used in the United States to preserve products such as wines, cheeses, baked goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and refrigerated meat. Sorbic acid is also added to pharmaceuticals and cosmetic products.
Sorbic acid is tightly regulated as a food additive in Australia, and many natural health food stores do not sell products that have been treated with this chemical compound. However, the ban is usually not extended to products treated with derivatives of sorbic acid.
Sorbic acid may be used in wines to prevent secondary fermentation of sugar and recontamination by yeast. The most common methods of application for dairy products includes dipping or spraying with potassium sorbate solutions for natural cheeses, and direct addition to processed cheeses. Sorbates are commonly used to extend the life of fish and shellfish. They inhibit the development of yeast and mold in the fish product. Sorbates are applied as a fungistat for prunes, pickles, relishes, maraschino cherries, olives, and figs and are used to extend the shelf life of prepared salads. Sorbates also preserve meat and poultry. For example, country-cured hams sprayed with sorbate solution result in no mold growth for 30 days.
The antimicrobial action of sorbic acid is primarily against yeasts and molds. It's action against bacteria appears to be selective. At concentrations used in wine it does not seem to prevent spoilage from either acetic or lactic acid bacteria. Must and wine related yeasts inhibited by sorbic acid include species of genera Brettanomyces, Candida, Hansenula, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Torulaspora, and Zygosaccharomyces.
The inhibitory effect of sorbic acid on yeast strains is not uniform. Certain species are more tolerant than others. For example, according to Pitt (1974), Zygosaccharomyces bailii was not inhibited by sorbic acid at 0.06% in 10% glucose. It should be noted that the yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii is also resistant to sulfur dioxide and diethyl pyrocarbonic acid (DEPC) and it can ferment high sugar musts such as grape juice concentrate containing 55 to 72 percent sugar. If contaminated concentrate is used for sweetening wine, it is likely to cause a refermentation even if a normal concentration of sorbic acid is present.
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