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1.What is Potassium Benzoate?

Potassium benzoate -E212-, the potassium salt of benzoic acid, is a food preservative that inhibits the growth of mold, yeast and some bacteria. It works best in low-pH products, below 4.5, where it exists as benzoic acid. Acidic foods and beverages such as fruit juice -citric acid-, sparkling drinks -carbonic acid-, soft drinks -phosphoric acid-, pickles -vinegar-, and frogurt toppings may be preserved with potassium benzoate. It is approved for use in most countries including Canada, the U.S., and the EU, where it is designated by the E number E212. Potassium benzoate is also used in the whistle in many fireworks. Generally, it is safe, synthetic, vegan, halal, kosher and gluten-free.

2.How is Potassium Benzoate made?

Potassium benzoate can be chemically synthesized by the reaction of benzoic acid (produced from the oxidation of toluene) with potassium bicarbonate, or potassium carbonate, or potassium hydroxide. Dow Chemical Company came up with a method of obtaining high yield and pure potassium benzoate by reacting benzoic acid with potassium hydroxide.

3.What is the common uses of Potassium Benzoate?

Potassium Benzoate is commonly used in soft drinks. One example is Pepsi’s Tropicana Twister Soda. Other uses of Potassium Benzoate may include salted margarine, olives, sauces and relishes, jams and jellies, pastry and pie fillings, and low fat salad dressings. One interesting, use of Potassium Benzoate is in fireworks. It is used to create the “whistle” sound.

4.What foods contain potassium benzoate?

PubChem indicates that benzoic acid is a naturally occurring fungistatic in most berries, with cranberries containing a larger amount of natural benzoic acid. Research published in Frontiers in Microbiology indicate that benzoate salts are added to food products, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals with ranges of 0.03 to 0.3 percent. Potassium benzoate is used in carbonated drinks, such as waters and sodas, diet and regular. Sodium benzoate is more widely used than potassium benzoate. However, when sodium content needs to be reduced, potassium benzoate is usually the substitute.