From bread and ham on supermarket shelves, to pickles and juice on dining tables, and even daily cosmetics, preservatives act as indispensable "invisible guardians." Their core role is to inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, delay product spoilage, ensure food safety and quality, and reduce resource waste. Among preservatives, chemical preservatives and biological preservatives represent the two main categories: the former dominates the market with its high efficiency and convenience, while the latter has emerged as a new consumption trend thanks to its natural and safe properties. Today, let’s break down the advantages and disadvantages of common preservatives, and see how these two types of "guardians" perform their respective duties, complement each other, and coexist harmoniously.
Chemical Preservatives: Efficient and Convenient "Classic Guardians"
Chemical preservatives are produced through chemical synthesis or extraction from natural substances (followed by chemical processing). Featuring mature research and development, low cost, and clear antibacterial effects, they have long been widely used in various fields. Common examples include potassium sorbate, sodium dehydroacetate, calcium propionate, and others. Each has its specific application focus yet also obvious shortcomings.
Potassium sorbate is the most widely used, with a broad antibacterial spectrum. It inhibits molds, yeasts, and some bacteria, and offers strong stability. It performs better in acidic environments, metabolizes into carbon dioxide and water, and is highly safe. However, it has a weak inhibitory effect on anaerobic bacteria and needs to be used in combination with other preservatives.
Sodium dehydroacetate demonstrates outstanding antibacterial effects and excellent heat resistance, making it suitable for high-temperature processed foods such as baked goods and canned foods. Its inhibitory effect against molds and yeasts is far stronger than that of potassium sorbate. Nevertheless, long-term excessive intake may place a burden on the liver, and its application scope is currently strictly restricted.
Calcium propionate is mainly used in flour products such as bread and pastries. It inhibits molds and bacilli, prevents mold growth and stickiness in food, and can also supplement a small amount of calcium. However, its antibacterial effect is greatly affected by pH value and becomes nearly ineffective in alkaline environments.
Overall, the advantages of chemical preservatives include high efficiency, low cost, ease of use, and effective shelf-life extension. The drawbacks include the controversial safety of certain varieties, a tendency to leave residues, and inherent resistance among consumers.
Biological Preservatives: Natural and Safe "New Guardians"
Biological preservatives are derived from natural sources such as microbial metabolites, and animal or plant extracts. Their greatest advantage lies in their high safety: they can be metabolized and decomposed by the human body, leave little residue, and meet consumer demand for “natural and healthy” products. Common examples include nisin, natamycin, polylysine, lysozyme, and others.
Nisin is a polypeptide extracted from lactic acid bacteria. It mainly inhibits gram-positive bacteria and is harmless to humans, making it widely used in meat and dairy products. However, it has a narrow antibacterial spectrum and no effect on molds or yeasts, and its cost is considerably higher than that of chemical preservatives.Natamycin is an antifungal agent with a strong inhibitory effect on molds and yeasts. It is used in low dosages and does not affect food flavor, but it has no effect on bacteria and is sensitive to light.
Polylysine is a polypeptide produced through microbial metabolism. It features a broad antibacterial spectrum and high heat resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of foods. However, it has a bitter taste, and excessive use can negatively affect product flavor.
Lysozyme is extracted from egg white and animal mucous membranes. It destroys bacterial cell walls and offers excellent safety, so it is often used in infant food and dairy products. Nevertheless, it also has a narrow antibacterial spectrum, effective only against gram-positive bacteria, and its cost is relatively high.
Complementary Advantages: "Synergistic Win-Win" in Practical Applications
Chemical preservatives and biological preservatives are not opposites. In practical applications, their complementarity can just solve the drawbacks of some of the preservative when used alone. For example, in meat product processing, although the use of nisin alone is safe, it cannot inhibit molds. Adding a small amount of potassium sorbate can not only reduce the dosage of chemical preservatives and residues, but also achieve comprehensive bacteriostasis of "bacteria + molds", balancing safety and freshness preservation effect.
In flour products, calcium propionate can effectively inhibit molds but fails in alkaline environments. Combining it with polylysine can expand the bacteriostatic range, reduce the dosage of calcium propionate at the same time, and avoid its impact on dough fermentation. In acidic foods such as fruit juice, potassium sorbate works best in acidic environments, but is insufficient in inhibiting some yeasts. A small amount of natamycin can accurately make up for the shortcomings and extend the shelf life. In addition, biological preservatives can reduce the use of chemical preservatives, lessen their potential risks to human health, and alleviate consumer resistance.
In summary, the high efficiency and low cost of chemical preservatives, together with the natural safety of biological preservatives, form a perfect complement to each other. In the future, with the development of science and technology, the synergistic application of the two will become the mainstream, which not only protects product quality, but also meets consumers' demand for health and safety, allowing the "invisible guardians" to play a greater role.
