news

1. the latest regulations dehydroacetic acid will be banned starting next year

in the near future, the food additive "dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salt" (sodium dehydroacetate) will be banned on a large scale in my country. according to the "national food safety standards for the use of food additives" (gb 2760-2024) released in march 2024, the use of dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salt in starch products, bread, pastries, baked food fillings and other foods has been regulated. delete, and the maximum usage amount in pickled vegetables is also adjusted from 1g/kg to 0.3g/kg. this new standard will be implemented on february 8, 2025.

2. dehydroacetic acidintroduction

dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salt, namelysodium dehydroacetate, is a widely used food additive, mainly aspreservativeto prevent microbial proliferation and extend the shelf life of food. it is particularly effective at inhibiting yeast and mold, so it is often used in prepackaged pastries, bread and other processed products that are prone to mold growth. sodium dehydroacetate is easily soluble in water, colorless and odorless, does not affect the color, flavor and flavor of food, and remains stable during the heating process.

3. application and content standards of dehydroacetic acid

sodium dehydroacetate has been used in 12 categories of foods, including pickled vegetables, bread, pastries, baked food fillings and surface batter, and cooked meat products. according to my country's current "national food safety standards for the use of food additives" (gb 2760-2014), the maximum allowable usage is 0.5~1.0g/kg (calculated as dehydroacetic acid).

4. reasons for disabling and comparison before and after modification

the main reason for banning sodium dehydroacetate is that as research on its potential hazards increases, it is found that long-term intake of dehydroacetate may cause damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. animal experiments show that long-term intake of large amounts of sodium dehydroacetate may lead to problems such as loss of appetite, weight loss, reduced blood coagulation ability, and abnormal liver and kidney function. although these effects are "subclinical" and not fatal, they may reduce quality of life. therefore, in order to prevent possible related harm to humans, this food additive is about to be removed from my country’s standards.

chinese researchers found in animal experiments that if rats ingest large amounts of sodium dehydroacetate for a long time (the dose reaches 200 mg/kg body weight), they may suffer from loss of appetite, weight loss, reduced blood coagulation ability, and abnormal liver and kidney function. phenomenon. at higher doses (124.0 mg/kg body weight, multiple repeated exposures), imbalances in thyroid hormone levels may also occur. these effects are "subclinical" damage that, while not directly causing death, may have a negative impact on the animal's health and quality of life.

5. other food additives with similar effects

although sodium dehydroacetate will be banned, other food additives are still in use on the market, including:

• calcium propionate: a widely added antifungal agent, its toxicity is equivalent to that of table salt.

• potassium sorbate: the ld50 of the rat oral acute toxicity test is 4 920 mg/kg bw, which is less toxic than table salt and is the ceiling for the safety of preservatives.

• sodium benzoate: rat oral acute toxicity test ld50 is 2 530 mg/kg bw, which is slightly more toxic than table salt.

• sodium nitrite: a commonly used preservative in meat products, its ld50 is 180 mg/kgbw, and it is the most toxic type of preservative.

the selection of these preservatives is based on their strong inhibitory effect on microorganisms and low toxicity to humans. table salt that we eat every day is considered an extremely safe substance. however, some of the permitted food preservatives are slightly more toxic than table salt, some are as toxic as table salt, and some are even less toxic than table salt.

with increasing attention to food safety, the standards for the use of food additives are constantly being updated and improved. understanding and paying attention to these changes can help us better ensure food safety and health.