As the demand for food increased, the used of food preservative has increased as they help maintain the freshness and shelf life of food products. However, some food preservatives, such as sodium benzoate, are safe in small amounts, but can be injurious to health – and are thus considered adulterants – if excessive amounts are added to food preparations.
Because of the possible danger associated with preservatives, it is strictly regulated and tested for human use, and the permissible limits for use of food preservatives vary depending on the food product, from country to country.
myTEST provides service for determining the preservative contents present in food, in accordance to table I and II of Six Schedule illustrated in Food Act 1983.
The food preservative(s) must always be labelled on the packaging of food products to provide information to the consumer and also to comply with regulatory requirements.
Type of Preservatives:
* Nitrate & Nitrite – Dry meat, sausage, Chinese Preserved Sausage
* Benzoic Acid – Concentrated Drink, Soya Sauce, Chilli Slurry
* Sulfur Dioxide – Chinese herbs, Vegetable- (dried, slated, pickled), Fruit-(candied, dried), Edible gelatin
* Sorbic Acid – Cheese, Concentrated Fruit Juice, Margerine, Soya Sauce
* Formaldehyde – Fish, Seafood
* Propionic Acid – Bread