Are There Potassium Sorbate Dangers and Side Effects

I wonder how many of the things we eat in a day have food additives and preservatives. No prizes for guessing here! They would be in almost 8 out of 10 foodstuffs we eat. Food preservatives are basically natural or synthetic chemicals that are added to foodstuffs, to prevent its decomposition by undesirable chemical change and microbial interference. Potassium sorbate is one of such food preservatives. It is derived as a potassium salt of sorbic acid. The molecular weight of this chemical is 150.22 g/molecule. The scientific name is potassium (E,E)-hexa-2,4-dienoate. In addition to food, it is used in various applications involving wine and personal care. Here is some more information about potassium sorbate for your perusal.

Potassium Sorbate Preservative
Potassium sorbate is used to curb the production of yeast and mold in numerous foodstuffs. Cheese, yogurt, dried meats, apple cider are some of them. Another range of products which normally have potassium sorbate are herbal dietary supplements. Addition of potassium sorbate to foodstuffs increases its shelf life. It can be fully digested and is polyunsaturated fat which is odorless, colorless and tasteless. As a preservative, it can also replace sulfur dioxide, which has an aftertaste as a result of sulfur dioxide.

Potassium sorbate is also used for off-dry wines to prevent yeast from re-fermentation post the bottling of the wine. It inhibits the fermentation process and thus curbs the production of yeast. However, everything considered, there are a few potassium sorbate side effects. Although, these are very minimal, they should not be ignored.

Potassium Sorbate Dangers
Dangers of food additives and preservatives notwithstanding, potassium sorbate perhaps falls into the category of food preservatives which are not seriously harmful for health. Fundamentally, potassium sorbate is non-toxic and is regarded as safe. However, its synthetic characteristic is not considered too favorable by some experts. Prolonged use of the preservative could lead to allergic reactions, nausea, diarrhea and nutrient loss in food. Toxicity of potassium sorbate is akin to that of table salt. In case of personal care products, sorbate or sorbic acids, can cause skin and eye irritation, so they need to be used carefully. All these facts point out that the potassium sorbate side effects are minimal. But, if you want to avoid the usage of potassium sorbate, especially in wines and want to supplement it with something, there are always options. Let's see how its usage may be avoided or kept to minimum.

Avoiding Potassium Sorbate Side Effects
To avoid potassium sorbate side effects, specifically in wines, sterile filtering can be done. But, a homemade wine is seldom possible without the use of potassium sorbate. So, in that case, you can first of all use yeast which has low tolerance to alcohol. Then, racking the wine carefully and using a fine filter for filtering the wine is what can be done. Another thing to remember is ensure that there is no yeast activity in the added sweet reserve and store the wine in a cool and dry area. Hey, but even after all this you observe a spritz, in that case have a wine get together and finish it off! That could be fabulous way to prevent potassium sorbate dangers! Apart from wine, let's say if you have to buy juice, buy fresh, organic juice as far as possible. Limiting canned food from your diet is also a good way to avoid potassium sorbate side effects and overall high potassium levels in blood.

Eating healthy and natural food as far as possible and primarily, having minimum foodstuffs which need a long shelf life, is ultimately the best option. Thus, take care, eat right and stay healthy! I hope now I have got rid of your worries about food preservatives, especially potassium sorbate!