Sorbic acid, first manufactured by Hofmann from rowan berry oil in 1859, was discovered in Germany by Muller in 1939 and independently, a few months later by Gooding in the USA.
Sorbic acid first became available from industrial production in the mid-1950s and has since been used to growing extend for food preservation throughout the world.
As yeast inhibitors, the compounds are useful in fermented vegetables products, fruit juices, wines, fried fruits, meat, and fish products. Specific products protected from yeasts by sorbates include carbonated beverages, salad dressings, tomato products, syrups, jams, jellies, candies and chocolate syrup.
Sorbic acid is particularly effective in preventing mold growth, and it contributes little flavor at the concentrations employed (up to 0.3% by weight).
The activity of sorbic acid against microorganism is a function of synergistic or antagonistic interactions with product composition, pH, water activity, microbial flora, chemical additives, storage temperature, gas atmosphere and packaging.
The activity of sorbic acid increases as the pH decreases, indicating that the undisssociated form is more inhibitory than the dissociated form. In general, sorbic acid is effective up to pH 6.5, which is considerable above the effective pH ranges for propionic and benzoic acids.
Sorbic acid
