Analysis of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in some selected food items available in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down spoilage and thus allows for longer storage to prevent food borne diseases (Zeuthen and Sorensen 2000). Nowadays this preservation is often made with the use of chemical preservatives, among which benzoic and sorbic acids, and their respective sodium, potassium and calcium salts, are widely used. Benzoic acid and sorbic acid are used to prevent growth of yeasts, moulds and bacteria that can grow in food items and help to extend their shelf life and safety. The salts of benzoic acid and sorbic acid are more frequently used as they are more soluble than the acid form (Mahindru 2008). To ensure the safety of consumers, international standards as well as Sri Lankan government food preservative regulations have been employed for any form of benzoic acid and sorbic acid that is to be used as a permitted preservative in food products. There are various methods for the analysis of benzoates and sorbates in food items, such as chromatographic methods and spectroscopic methods. Nowadays, reversed phase HPLC is the most common analytical procedure for the detection and quantification of these preservatives in foods and beverages (Bui and Cooper 1987, Wood 2004).