Calcium Propionate (E282)

Calcium Propionate

Calcium propionate is manufactured by reacting propionic acid with calcium hydroxide, used as an antimicrobial preservative, mold inhibitor, and dough conditioner (INS 282) that inhibits mold/yeast/bacterial growth through propionate ion disruption of microbial metabolism while providing calcium nutrition and buffering. In the food industry, food-grade forms excel at extending shelf life in yeast-leavened bakery without affecting fermentation or taste.

Food Industry Applications

• Bakery products: Primary mold inhibitor in breads, rolls, buns, tortillas, and pastries preventing rope (Bacillus) and mold growth for 7-14 day extended shelf life, allows higher moisture content for softer crumb, calcium strengthens gluten network improving volume.

• Packaged snacks: Prevents microbial spoilage in soft bread sticks, bagels, muffins, and breakfast pastries during ambient distribution, synergizes with sorbic acid for comprehensive fungal control, maintains product freshness through water activity stabilization.

• Cheese products: Inhibits mold growth on processed cheese slices, spreads, and snack portions without flavor impact, surface treatment for semi-soft cheeses, calcium stabilizes caseins preventing texture softening during storage.

• Pizza crusts and flatbreads: Essential preservative in par-baked and ready-to-bake crusts preventing mold during frozen storage and retail display, withstands high-temperature baking without decomposition, improves dough handling properties.

• Pet foods and treats: Mold inhibitor in semi-moist pet treats and bakery-style dog biscuits extending ambient shelf life, calcium source for bone health, effective against Aspergillus and Penicillium species common in protein-rich feeds.

Other Industry Applications

In agriculture, prevents milk fever in dairy cows and serves as feed preservative; in cosmetics, acts as pH adjuster; in water treatment, functions as corrosion inhibitor; in animal feed, provides calcium and mold control; in tobacco, inhibits microbial growth during processing; in the paper industry, acts as a preservative in coatings.