As a company specializing in the export of chemical products, we are committed to providing high-quality, compliant chemical raw materials to our global customers. Calcium propionate, a highly effective preservative widely used in food, feed, and industrial applications, has become a preferred additive in numerous industries due to its safety, stability, and environmental friendliness.
Calcium propionate has a chemical formula of C₆H₁₀CaO₄ and a molecular weight of 186.22. It appears as a white crystalline powder or granules, odorless or with a slight propionic acid odor. It is readily soluble in water (approximately 25g/100mL at 20℃), slightly soluble in ethanol, and insoluble in organic solvents such as ether and benzene.
Calcium propionate is highly safe and widely used, with important applications in food, feed, medicine, and industry. The following is a detailed introduction to its key applications:
is internationally recognized as a safe food additive (FDA-certified and compliant with China's GB 2760-2024 standard). It is primarily used to extend the shelf life of foods and prevent mold. It is suitable for various noodle products, pastries, dairy products, meat products, and soy products:
Noodle products and pastries: Adding 0.1%-0.3% calcium propionate effectively inhibits mold growth during dough fermentation, extending the shelf life of bread, steamed buns, and pastries to 7-15 days without affecting the taste, color, or flavor.
Dairy products: Adding it to products like cheese and yogurt inhibits the overgrowth of lactic acid bacteria, preventing spoilage and maintaining the delicate texture of dairy products.
Meat products: Used in combination with nitrite, it inhibits the growth of Clostridium botulinum, improving the safety of meat products like sausages and ham and extending their shelf life.
Soy products: Adding it to products like tofu and dried tofu prevents mold in high summer temperatures and maintains product freshness.
Industrial field: used as a preservative for coatings and adhesives to inhibit the growth of mold during storage, prevent the coating from deteriorating and stinking, and improve the stability of the adhesive.
(1) High safety
Calcium propionate can be metabolized into carbon dioxide and water in the human body and completely excreted from the body without residue and toxicity. The ADI value (acceptable daily intake) is 0-10 mg/kg body weight (FAO/WHO standard), and it has no side effects on the human body;
It does not react with other ingredients in food and does not produce harmful substances. It is suitable for products with high safety requirements such as infant food and health food.
(2) Stability
It has excellent thermal stability and does not decompose or volatilize during high-temperature processing (such as baking and sterilization), and can still maintain good antibacterial effects, solving the problem that some preservatives become ineffective at high temperatures;
It has good water solubility and is easy to mix evenly with food, feed and other products without precipitation or stratification, ensuring uniform product quality.
(3) Broad spectrum
The antibacterial effect is not affected by the pH value of the food (effective within the pH range of 3.0-8.0), solving the problem that some preservatives have reduced effectiveness in acidic foods.
(4) Economic situation
The amount of calcium propionate added is low (generally 0.1%-1.5%), and the raw material cost is relatively low. While ensuring the antibacterial effect, it can reduce the production cost of the enterprise;
It is easy to store and does not require special storage conditions (normal temperature and dry environment are sufficient). It is not easy to absorb moisture and form lumps, and is easy to store for a long time.
