Basic Overview

Calcium propionate is an acid-based food preservative, which produces free propionic acid under acidic conditions and has antibacterial effect. Its antibacterial effect is affected by the pH of the environment, the best inhibition of mold at pH 5.0; pH 6.0, the inhibition capacity is significantly reduced, the minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.01%. In acidic medium (starch, protein and grease containing substances) has a strong inhibitory effect on various types of mold, Gram-negative bacillus or aerobic bacillus, can also inhibit the production of aflatoxin, while harmless to yeast, harmless to humans and animals, non-toxic side effects. It is a new, safe and efficient mold inhibitor for food and feed in food, brewing, feed and Chinese medicine preparation.
As a mold inhibitor for feed, mostly used in protein feed, fish bait feed, full-price feed and other aquatic animal bait, is the ideal agent for feed processing enterprises, scientific research and other animal feed mold prevention.
In addition, in medicine, propionate can be made into dispersions, solutions and ointments for the treatment of diseases caused by skin parasitic mold

Properties and performance

Calcium propionate is white crystal or white crystal powder or granule, odorless or slightly with propionic acid odor. Used as a food additive, calcium propionate is a monohydrate salt, stable to water and heat, hygroscopic, easily soluble in water, 39.9g/l00mL (20℃), insoluble in ethanol, ether. Adding the same amount of dilute sulfuric acid to 10% aqueous solution of calcium propionate, heating can release the special odor of propionic acid. Calcium propionate is alkaline, and its 10% aqueous solution has a pH value of 8~10.

The antiseptic property of calcium propionate is the same as that of sodium propionate, and it plays an antibacterial role by forming propionic acid in acidic medium. Calcium propionate inhibits mold effective dose is smaller than sodium propionate, but it can reduce the role of chemical bulking agent, so commonly used sodium propionate, however, its advantage is that the use of calcium propionate in pastry, bread and cheese can supplement the calcium in the food puppet. Calcium propionate can inhibit the multiplication of Bacillus subtilis during dough fermentation, the minimum inhibition mass fraction is 0.01% at pH 5.0, 0.188% is needed at pH 5.8, and the optimum pH value should be lower than 5.5.