The times when food products were subjected to strict standardization and control, unfortunately, have passed. Today you have to be a little chemist to feed your family not only tasty, but also healthy and safe. So, studying the composition of food products, you can notice the addition of E262, or sodium diacetate. What is this?
What is this substance?
E262 is an artificial preservative, which is a sodium salt of acetic acid. The substance is obtained by dry distillation of wood with the sodium salt of carbonic acid. It has the appearance of a white or yellowish powder and has a slightly sour smell. The substance is highly soluble in water and not subject to burning. The formula of sodium diacetate (C 4 H 7 O 4 Na) includes such substances that act as raw materials for its production:
- acetic acid;
- sodium hydroxide;
- soda ash;
- caustic soda;
- sodium carbonate.
Application in the food industry
Sodium diacetate (E262) is one of the most common additives in the food industry, as it is non-toxic, approved for use in all countries of the world, has no daily intake restrictions and is not expensive. As a preservative, acidity regulator and flavoring agent, it is added to such products:
- vegetable and fruit preservation (to mitigate the pungent taste and smell of vinegar, which is added to the "twist");
- bakery products (to neutralize spore-forming bacteria that often "live" in flour);
- snacks, bouillon cubes, freeze-dried soups, mayonnaise (for a bright spicy taste and aroma).
Pharmacology Application
Second place in the use of sodium diacetate (after the food industry) is pharmacology. This is where this supplement is used:
- diuretic drugs;
- wound healing and antiseptic fluids and ointments;
- alkalizing agents;
- painkillers and anti-inflammatory formulations for injection.
Other applications
Sodium diacetate is widespread in several other areas. Namely:
- animal husbandry (as a preservative for feed grain and certain types of feed, as a means to increase the weight and milk yield of cattle, as a means to increase the egg production of poultry);
- concrete production (to increase the frost resistance of building material);
- textile industry (to improve the quality of dyeing fabrics);
- leather industry (for pickling the material before subsequent tanning);
- manufacture of rubber and synthetic rubber (to slow down the vulcanization process);
- a photograph (as an image fixer during development and printing);
- chemical industry (production of electrolytes, dyes, vinyl acetate and other substances);
- ecology (E262 is added to wastewater to neutralize the effect of sulfuric acid).
Benefit and harm
Despite the fact that a sharply negative attitude has developed towards chemical additives with the prefix "E", this is not entirely true. It is believed that the body of a healthy person can process any amount of E262 without negative consequences. In addition, sodium diacetate has undeniable beneficial properties: disinfectant and bactericidal.
Despite the fact that the additive is approved for use, do not forget that this substance belongs to moderately hazardous products of the third class. Sodium diacetate can still cause harm if you ingest the substance in an excessive amount or inhale its vapors for a long time. This can trigger such health problems:
- conjunctivitis;
- skin irritations and rashes;
- mild allergic reactions;
- upper respiratory tract irritation;
- metabolic disorder.
People who have an increased sensitivity to acetic acid should strictly limit or completely eliminate the consumption of E262.
Conclusion
For better or worse, chemical additives are an integral part of the modern food industry. In this regard, many rumors and myths are spreading about these substances. In particular, there is an opinion that sodium diacetate is converted to a carcinogen when it enters the body. But this statement is fundamentally false. The fact is that acetates are contained in the cells of all living organisms and plants. Thus, if you do not use E262 with spoons or do not breathe it in pairs for days, this supplement can be considered completely safe.