Benzoic Acid Production Business. Profitable Business Ideas in Chemical Industry
Benzoic acid, C6H5COOH, is a colourless crystalline solid and the simplest aromatic carboxylic acid. Benzoic acid occurs naturally free and bound as benzoic acid esters in many plant and animal species. Appreciable amounts have been found in most berries (around 0. 05%). Cranberries contain as much as 300-1300 mg free benzoic acid per kg fruit. Benzoic acid is a fungistatic compound that is widely used as a food preservative. It often is conjugated to glycine in the liver and excreted as hippuric acid. Benzoic acid is a byproduct of phenylalanine metabolism in bacteria. It is also produced when gut bacteria process polyphenols (from ingested fruits or beverages).
Benzoic acid has the advantage that it does not affect the odor or taste of the soft drink, if used in small quantities. The preserving quality of benzoic acid is based on its activity to delay the multiplication of several groups of microorganisms, which, however, are not killed by this product. The low solubility of benzoic acid in water complicates its application in products containing large amounts of water. Therefore, the water-soluble salt sodium benzoate is used.
Benzoic acid and its salts used as preservatives are represented by E- numbers, E210, E211, E212, and E213. Benzoates are salts and esters of Benzoic acid. Benzoic acid when used as a preservative is added with a concentration of 0.05-0.1% to the food products.