A Review on Preservatives Present in Packaged Food Items

(https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21790539)

सार

Packaged food products have become an essential part of modern lifestyles due to their convenience, extended shelf life and easy availability. To maintain food quality, safety, and freshness, manufacturers use various preservatives that inhibit microbial growth, prevent oxidation, and preserve texture, flavor, and color. While food preservatives play a crucial role in reducing food spoilage and ensuring food security, concerns have been raised regarding their excessive consumption and potential health effects. This review examines the types, functions, applications, benefits, and possible health risks associated with preservatives commonly used in packaged food items.

Food spoilage has been a universal problem all the way through past time, and to a great extent of the spoilage is caused by the action of microorganisms or enzymatic reactions during the storage of food. Thus, using chemical compounds could check or delay food spoilage and this has lead to the great success of these compounds in the treatment of human diseases. Salt, sugar, honey, vinegar, edible oil and spices are natural preservatives considered safe for consumption. Benzoate, sorbates, nitrates, sulphur dioxide, propionates, antioxidants and nisin are synthetic preservatives that are extensively used in the food industry.