Is calcium propionate a worthwhile preservative?

Calcium propionate, like other fats, can be absorbed through metabolism and supply the daily necessary calcium, which is an advantage that other antifungal agents cannot compare. Calcium propionate is an antibacterial agent that is easily processed by the body. Adding calcium propionate to foods such as bread can prevent mold growth. 

Sodium propionate is another derivative that is often used in baked goods because calcium is altered by other materials when making pies or pastries. What is the role of calcium propionate in food? The following may help you. 

1. Calcium propionate is an acid-type preservative, and its bacteriostatic effect is affected by environmental pH. The minimum inhibitory concentration is 0.01% at pH 5.0 and 0.5% at pH 6.5.  It has a strong inhibitory effect on various molds, aerobic bacillus, or gram-negative bacilli in an acidic medium. It is effective in preventing the production of aflatoxin, has an inhibitory effect on mold and aerobic bacillus that can cause sticky silk material in bread, and has no inhibitory effect on yeast. And almost ineffective against yeast.

2. Calcium propionate can be used as a mold inhibitor for food and feed, and as a preservative for bread and cakes. Calcium propionate is easy to mix with flour evenly and can provide calcium necessary for the human body while serving as a fresh-keeping preservative, and playing the role of fortifying food.

3. It is used as a preservative for bread, cakes, and cheese and a mold inhibitor for feed. As propionate as a food preservative, calcium propionate is mainly used in bread, because sodium propionate increases the pH value of bread and delays the fermentation of raw noodles; sodium propionate is often used in cakes because the leavening of cakes adopts synthetic leavening Loosener without yeast development problems caused by rising pH.

4. It is effective against mold, aerobic spore-producing bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, aflatoxin, etc. in starch, protein, and oil-containing substances, and has unique anti-mold and anti-corrosion properties.

5. It is a new and safe, high-efficiency, broad-spectrum antifungal agent for food and feed in food and brewing, feed, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. In the food industry, it is mainly used for vinegar, soy sauce, bread, cakes, and soy products, with a large amount (calculated as propionic acid, the same below) of 2.5g/kg; in raw noodles wet products, a large amount of 0.25g/kg.

6. Calcium propionate can also be used as an additive in toothpaste and cosmetics and has a good antiseptic effect.

7. As a feed additive, calcium propionate can effectively inhibit the mold of the feed, prolong the shelf life of the feed, and has a good anti-kill effect on mold, aerobic bud-producing bacteria, and Gram-negative bacteria. 

It can also be used in combination with other inorganic salts. Increase the appetite of livestock and increase the milk production of cows. Calcium propionate has low volatility, high-temperature resistance, good animal adaptability, and is suitable for a variety of feeds.

As a feed preservative, sodium propionate is more effective than calcium propionate. However, calcium propionate is more stable than sodium propionate. 

In addition to being used in bread, cakes, cheese, etc. in food, propionate can also be used in soy sauce to prevent mildew and inhibit re-fermentation. In medicine, propionate is used in powders, solutions, and ointments to treat diseases caused by skin parasitic molds. The ointment (liquid) contains 12.3% sodium propionate, and the powder contains 15% calcium propionate.

8. Mold and microbial inhibitors for food, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals. It is used therapeutically as a fungicide. Butyl rubber antioxidant.