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Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Ingredients and Additives

Preservative

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

/prɪˈzɜrvətɪv/nounCore term

In food science & technology, preservative means: A food additive that slows down the growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds, helping the product stay safe and acceptable for longer.

In Turkish: koruyucu, koruyucu madde

How it is used

Common preservatives include potassium sorbate (E202), sodium benzoate (E211) and sodium nitrite (E250) in cured meats. Marketing teams often want claims like 'no added preservatives', and then the product needs other hurdles such as lower water activity, higher acidity or cold storage.

Example sentences

  1. The sauce contains no preservatives, so it must be kept in the fridge after opening.

  2. Sodium benzoate works best as a preservative in acidic drinks.

Common collocations

  • natural preservative
  • no added preservatives
  • preservative-free
  • add a preservative
  • chemical preservative
  • food additiveA substance that is not normally eaten as a food by itself but is added in small amounts for a technical purpose, such as preserving, coloring, thickening or sweetening.
  • E numberA code made of the letter E and a number, such as E330 for citric acid, that identifies a food additive approved for use in the European Union.
  • spoilageAny change that makes food unacceptable to eat, such as off-flavors, bad smells, slime, gas or mold, often caused by microorganisms, enzymes or oxidation.
  • antioxidantA substance that slows down oxidation in food, helping to prevent rancidity in fats and color changes in fruits, vegetables and meat.
  • shelf lifeThe length of time a food stays safe and keeps its expected quality when it is stored under the stated conditions.

More terms: Ingredients and Additives

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