6 Main Effects of Sodium Benzoate

What is Sodium benzoate?

  Sodium benzoate (chemical formula: C6H5CO2Na), and E no. is E211. It is the sodium salt of benzoic acid. Sodium benzoate is a kind of acidic preservative, which has a good preservative effect under acidic environment. However, in recent years, it has limited usage as its toxicity. In some countries, such as Japan, have stopped producing sodium benzoate and restricted its use.

  Sodium benzoate is white powder or granular. without odor or slight benzoin aroma, slightly sweet taste, convergence and soluble in water. room temperature), about 53.0g/100ml, PH around 8; Sodium benzoate is also an acidic preservative. It has no bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect in alkaline medium. The best anti-corrosion PH is 2.5-4.0, and a 5% solution at PH5.0 is not very good at sterilization. Sodium benzoate is relatively lipophilic, which can easily penetrate the cell membrane and enter the cell body, interfering with the permeability of the cell membrane and inhibiting the absorption of amino acids by the cell membrane. It enters into the body to ionize the alkali storage in the acidified cells, inhibits the activity of the respiratory enzyme system of the cells, and prevents the acetyl-CoA condensation reaction, so as to achieve the purpose of food preservation.

What is the function of Sodium benzoate?

  1. Mainly used as food preservatives, but also used to make drugs, dyes, etc.
  2. Used in the pharmaceutical industry and plant genetic research, also used as dye intermediates, fungicides, and preservatives.
  3. Preservative, antimicrobial agents.
  4. Sodium benzoate is also an important acid food preservative. Converted to the effective form of benzoic acid when used. See benzoic acid for scope and amount of use. In addition, can also be used as a feed preservative.
  5. The product is used as a food additive (preservative), fungicide for the pharmaceutical industry, mordant for the dye industry, plasticizer for plastic industry, and intermediates for organic synthesis such as perfume.
  6. used as an auxiliary solvent for serum bilirubin test, food additive (preservative), fungicide for the pharmaceutical industry, mordant for dye industry, plasticizer for plastic industry, and intermediates for organic synthesis such as perfume.

Application and limitation

  Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are widely used as a preservative in food processing and preservation, but it has limited some foods in some countries. Because benzoic acid can play a role in the free state in foods, it works better in foods with strong acids. Benzoic acid is commonly used in carbonated drinks, soy sauce, sauces, preserves and fruit and vegetable drinks, etc. Benzoic acid can be used together with p-hydroxybenzoate in soy sauce and drinks to increase the effect. Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are commonly used to preserve high-acid fruits, jams, beverage syrups and other acidic foods, which can be used together with low-temperature sterilization to play a synergistic role.


  Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are generally limited to foods with high protein content. Sodium benzoate ACTS on microorganisms in the same way as benzoic acid, but because it is a sodium salt, 1.2 times of benzoate is needed to achieve the same bactericidal effect as benzoate.

  According to the FAO, benzoic acid and sodium benzoate can be used in frozen fish sticks, fish nuggets, and fish fillings, but meat products are not included. In addition, in the countries listed above where benzoic acid and sodium benzoate are permitted, these additives are not recommended as preservatives for meat products.