additive [57].
• All countries other than Europe do not use the prefix “E”. For example, in Europe, acetic acid is written as E260, whereas in other countries, it is simply written as additive 260.
• Some examples of E-numbers of food additive are as follows:- Tartrazine (E102)- Quinoline yellow (E104)- Amaranth (E123)- Saffron (E164)- Sorbic acid (E200)- Benzoic acid (E210)- Malic acid (E296)- Sodium alignate (E400)- Agar (E406)- Shellac (E904)
Food is defined as the complex mixture of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and the vitamins. Because of these ingredients, the food undergoes spoilage mechanisms. Different microorganisms utilize these ingredients and grow and degradation of the product or any component causes spoilage of food. That is why we implement the food preservation technique.
There are two types of food preservation techniques: physical method and chemical method. Physical method includes manipulation of storage temperature, pasteurization, and sterilization to arrest the growth of microorganisms [56, 58, 60]. This type of method is although good in arresting the growth of microbes, they employ the economic investment as it requires a continuous supply of electricity which is not possible in developing countries like India. That is why we need to use chemical preservatives. Chemical preservatives are added in a very small quantity that they do not affect the organoleptic and physical properties of food.
Food preservatives contains a complex of substances having unsimilar molecular structures (organic and inorganic substances having different functional group and capacity to form ions). No methods are generally applied in the analysis of preservatives as a subgroup of food additive, the methods are specified to the preservative being examined.
1.6 Food Spoilage and Preservation
It is defined as an undesirable changes that occur in food due to the influence of factors like heat, light, air and moisture which favors the growth of various micro-organisms. Foods take different period of time to lose their natural form their spoilage [61–63]. The time for which a food can be kept fresh is called shelf life.
Food preservation is defined as a science which deals with the process of preservation of decay or spoilage of food to be stored in a fit condition for future use. It has been described as a state in which any food may be retained over a long period of time without being contaminated by pathogenic organisms or chemicals and losing optimum qualities of color, texture, flavor, and nutritive value. Preservation is important as it destroys pathogens and reduces the microbial, takes care of the excess produce, adds variety to our meals, and allows food items to be sent to places where they are not grown.
1.6.1 Causes of Spoilage
Germs are the major sources which infects food and water. The flies carry germs, they pass on these germs when they sit on our food and spoil it and that is when the food becomes infected. There are different factors that are responsible for food spoilage that are as follows:
Bacteria: There are variety of microorganisms present on the earth. They are small in size and has various shapes. Some bacteria are found to be useful like lactobacillus which converts milk to curd.
Protozoa: The single-celled microorganisms that are responsible for food poisoning, etc.
Fungi: They are the organisms that grows on the dead matter and found in the warm places.
Temperature: Too high temperature or too low temperature affects the food and becomes responsible for spoilage of food.
1.6.2 Principle of Food Preservation
Principle of food preservation includes killing the microorganisms or delaying the action of microorganisms and stopping the action of enzymes [64–67].
➢ Inhibit microbial growth is called as “microbistatic”.
➢ Irreversibly inactive microorganisms (microbicidal).
➢ Mechanically remove microorganisms.
➢ Maintain asepsis.
➢ Prevent self-decomposition of food.
➢ Inactivate food enzymes.
1.7 Preservatives
There are different types of preservatives that are best for certain products and are useful and operative against particular chemical specific changes. In things like fruit juice, cheese, bread, and dried fruit, “antimycotics” stops the growth of molds which degrades the quality of those things. Some examples are sodium and calcium propionate and sorbic acid. Another one is “antioxidants” whose butylated hydroxytoluene or (BHT) slows down the occurrence of rancidity created by oxidation in margarine, shortening, and different sets of foods consisting of fats and oils [68]. The growth of harmful bacteria in poultry, seafood, and canned foods is stopped by “antibiotics” like tetracyclines, and to keep these products moisturized, humectants and substances are used. The preservatives may get reactive toward body [70]. It can cause reactions toward in sensitive people like skin allergies including itching and rashes, difficulty in breathing, sneezing, etc.
1.7.1 Factors Affecting Preservative Efficiency
1.7.1.1 Interaction With Formulation Components
Methyl cellulose, alignates, and tragacanth that are hydrocolloids can communicate with preservatives and stop their activity. In pharmaceutical preparations, different emulgents are utilized in preparation of many applications [69]. Preservatives, emulsified oil phase, and emulgent molecules react together. The concentration of preservatives is affected by multiple factors such as the nature of oil, type of concentration of emulgent, and water ratio.
1.7.1.2 Properties of Preservatives
The dispersal of preservative should be similar/homogeneous in nature and increased solubility should be present in the bulk phase is more suitable in multi-phase system. Different chemicals like chlorobutol may get hydrolyze on storage if pH do not favor it. Preservatives do get reactive with some compounds and results in the loss of their antimicrobial property.
1.7.1.3 Effect of Containers
The preparations packed in glass containers can be anticipated to keep their preservative content if the container is closed airtight [71, 72]. Preservatives may pass through the plastic container and reacts together. Rubber is the major things which sometimes reacts with some of the preservatives but it is still used for the closures. Containers may cause defilement of pathogens.
1.7.1.4 Types of Micro-Organisms
Clostridium species, Bacillus anthracis, are some of the plant products which may have some pathogenic microorganisms from the soil. The degradation of the pharmaceutical products is caused by these soil microorganisms. Salmonella typhi is the type of pathogen that is produced from the animal source [74].
1.7.1.5 Influence of pH
The chemical stability and the
