Sorbic acid

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A colourless, tasteless and alcohol-soluble organic acid (also hexadienoic acid) that belongs to the unsaturated carboxylic acids. It is often used in food as a preservative because it has a growth-inhibiting effect on yeasts, other fungi and bacteria (preventing moulds on cheese or meat), but not on lactic acid bacteria. In Germany and Austria, the addition in grape must or wine is allowed up to a maximum of 200 mg/l (but does not apply to organic wines), and in the USA even up to 1 g/l. However, even the smallest amounts of sorbic acid can be changed to sorbinol by reaction with lactic acid bacteria, which subsequently leads to the wine defect geranium clay, which is difficult to combat. Therefore, great cleanliness (fermentation tanks, barrels) and absolutely additional addition of sulphur dioxide is required. In the past, the addition of sorbic acid (potassium sorbate) was used in the production of sweet reserve in Germany, but today this is only rarely the case. In some Eastern European countries, however, the addition is still widespread. See also under Agents in winemaking.

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Sorbic acid

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