Product name : Sodium Benzoate

Synonyms : Benzoic Acid, sodium salt; Benzoate of soda; Sodium benzoic acid; Antimol

CAS # : 532-32-1

Items                                        Properties

Molecular formula                  NaC₆H₅CO₂
Molar mass                             144.11 g/mol
Density                                     1.44 g/cm3
Melting point                            300 ℃/>300℃ (>572℃)
Boiling point                            N/A
Flash point                              100 ℃
Autoignition temperature     500 ℃
appearance                            white granules or crystalline powder
odor                                          odorless
solubility                                  soluble in water (1gm/ 2mL water)

Characteristics and Application :

Sodium benzoate is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and exists in this form when dissolved in water. It can be produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid.

Sodium benzoate is a preservative. It is bacteriostatic and fungistatic under acidic conditions. It is used most prevalently in acidic foods such as salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams and fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar), and condiments. It is also found in alcohol-based mouthwash and silver polish. It can also be found in cough syrups like Robitussin.

It is found naturally in cranberries, prunes, greengage plums, cinnamon, ripe cloves, and apples. Concentration as a preservative is limited by the FDA in the U.S. to 0.1% by weight though natural cranberries and other fruit varieties contain levels of sodium benzoate approaching this limit.

Safety :

In combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, E300), sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate may form benzene, a known carcinogen. Heat, light and shelf life can affect the rate at which benzene is formed.