Status of Sorbic Acid and Its Derivatives as Food Preservative in Iran: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Food preservatives have an important role in food industry and are widely used in many products. Sorbic acid and its salts lead to maintaining the quality and improving the shelf life of food by preventing the growth of microorganisms and preventing chemical and enzymatic changes. However, health organizations involved in monitoring food products have set permitted limits for the use of these compounds in food industry. Due to probable high usage and long-term application of preservatives such as sorbic acid and its derivatives, they may have adverse effects on human health. Methods: The present study is a systematic review of the measured amount of sorbic acid and its derivatives in different foods in Iran. In the following, the extracted measured amounts of sorbic acid and its derivatives were compared with the permitted amount mentioned in the Iran National Standard Organization (INSO) and Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Findings: Literature reviews showed that most of the examined products were in an illegal state in terms of sorbic acid content in INSO. According to INSO, the highest rate of non-compliance with the appropriate concentration range was related to dairy and bakery products. Since the food standard limit of INSO is stricter than CAC, the products that were within the permissible limits set by CAC were included in a larger share. It should be mentioned that the limits of some food products in CAC were not define. Conclusion: In general, in this study, it was found that the amounts of sorbic acid and its derivatives were not within the range approved by the INSO in many food products. But they were within the CAC limit. Nevertheless, continuous monitoring of preservatives in food, specifically in highly consumed food products, is suggested. © 2025, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.