calcium propionate as bread preservative
cra...@siue.edu
I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
Where can I find more information on this preservative?
Thanks for your help
Cheryl Ransick
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Carlos Kantt
cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>
> I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
> I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
> The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
> I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
>
> What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
My micro is a little rusty but I believe that the propionamte lowers the
pH inhibiting mold growth
> Where can I find more information on this preservative?
I guess a book on bread making would be a good place to start
Carlos
Joan Shields
<cra...@siue.edu> wrote:
>I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
>I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
>The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
>I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
>What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
>Where can I find more information on this preservative?
Well, based on my experience making food for flies (Drosophila), you make
calcium propionate by mixing calcium choride and proprionic acid.
Supposedly it prevents fungus from growing.
I'm guessing this is the same thing - seems like it is. I could be wrong
though.
joan
TJ
> > What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
>
> pH inhibiting mold growth
>
>
>
Alan "Uncle Al" Schwartz
cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
>I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
>The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
>I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
>
Fungi apparenty don't like lower fatty acids or benzoate. You might
contact a "human ecology" university department, or biochemistry, or hit
an academic library for food preservatives, or bit the bullet and plunge
into Chemical Abstracts.
--
Alan "Uncle Al" Schwartz
Uncl...@ix.netcom.com ("zero" before @)
http://www.ultra.net.au/~wisby/uncleal.htm (lots of + new)
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children, Democrats, and most mammals)
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" The Net!
Andre Lyver
In article <8468776...@dejanews.com>, cra...@siue.edu says...
>
>I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
>I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
>The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
>I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
>
>What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
>Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>
>
>
I'm not sure on the actual mechanism for inhibition by calcium propionate. I
do know that propionate is used to prevent "rope" in bread, caused mainly by
Bacillus subtilis, and sometimes Bacillus licheniformis. Rope is
roughly described as a "stringyness" when you tear apart the bread. Propionate
has to be mixed into the formulation in order to work, since rope occurs on
the inside of the product.
Another preservative you might want to investigate is Sorbate (usually
potassium sorbate). It is used to prevent the growth of yeasts and molds. It
is usually applied as a spray.
Since you are on the topic, why not look at modified atmosphere packaging to
prevent mold growth?
Here's one paper to start you out on your way:
Legan, J.D., Voysey, P.A. (1991) Yeast spoilage of bakery products and
ingredients, Journal of Applied Bacteriology, vol 70. pp361.
Good luck,
Andre Lyver
McGill University
Ed Blonz
cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>
> I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
> I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
> The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
> I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
>
> What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
> Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>
> Thanks for your help
>
>
Cheryl,
As you do your testing, make sure that your "non-preserved" bread
does not contain raisin juice. Although it is a sweetener, it is also a
natural source of propionic acid. It yields a similar antifungal effect
- but it's "natural" the bread can pass as having no preservatives.
Ed
--
Maintaining a positive attitude may not solve all your
problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worthwhile.
\\ // e...@blonz.com
( o o ) home page http://www.blonz.com/blonz
ooo0---( _ )---0ooo
Depree, Jonathan A
In article <327A98...@mail.genmills.com> Carlos Kantt <kant...@mail.genmills.com> writes:
>From: Carlos Kantt <kant...@mail.genmills.com>
>Subject: Re: calcium propionate as bread preservative
>Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 16:41:58 -0800
>cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>>
>> I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
>> I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
>> The bread I am using is preserved with calcium propionate.
>> I am having trouble finding information on this preservative and need help!
>>
>> What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
>My micro is a little rusty but I believe that the propionamte lowers the
>pH inhibiting mold growth
You're on the wrong track there. Yeasts and moulds are generally more acid
tolerant than other spoilage organisms, that's why they're the main spoilers
of products like mayonnaise.
I see you have sent this to a range of groups already, but since you're
wondering about yeasts and mould perhaps the people on bionet.mycology could
help.
Otherwise I see some very good replies to your question.
>> Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>I guess a book on bread making would be a good place to start
>Carlos
>>
>> Thanks for your help
>>
>> Cheryl Ransick
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> This article was posted to Usenet via the Posting Service at Deja News:
>> http://www.dejanews.com/ [Search, Post, and Read Usenet News!]
Jonathan Depree,
Lincoln University, P.O. Box 84, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Socrates was a famous Greek Teacher who went around giving
people advice. They killed him. (school history howler)
Rebecca Bowes
cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>
> What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
> Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>
You might contact the Center for Science in the Public Interest, (in
Washington DC, I think). They might even have a web site. CSPI puts out
a nutrition newsletter that sometimes contains information about food
additives. I think they have a poster that describes all the common
additives, what the additives do, and whether they are safe (in CSPI's
opinion).
Rebecca
Lynn E Johnson-Conrad
Try calling your local Agriculture Extension office. They are a wealth
of information. Usually
> >
> > I have a science project measuring mold growth on bread. (college level)
> > I am comparing growth on preserved bread vs. non-preserved bread.
--
***************************************************************
Lynn E. Johnson-Conrad, email:jo...@seafloor.mbari.org
http://www.mbari.org/~joly
*********************************************************
Timothy J. Stachoviak
cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>
snip
> What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
> Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>
>
> Cheryl Ransick
I may be contributing to rumor propagattion, but I heard recently that
the mold inhibiting action of propionate was discovered when it was
observed that Swiss cheese was much more mold resistant than other
varieties. It was then determined that Swiss cheese had a high level of
propionate. The fact was presented in a televised U-Wisconsin food
science course.
Tim
Hong-Chang Liang
cra...@siue.edu writes:
>What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
>Where can I find more information on this preservative?
Well, I haven't the slightest clue what calcium propionate does to
molds and fungi. But I know that one of its roles as a preservative in
foods is to bind metals to prevent them from oxidizing and degrading
fats and oils. That is the role of carboxylic acid salts such as propionates,
sorbates, and benzoates that I am aware of. If so many people are writing
that it's a mold retardant then it's probably true. But I only know about
the anti-oxidation aspect.
C566-Station 322
Hong-Chang Liang wrote:
>
> cra...@siue.edu writes:
>
> >What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
> >Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>
> foods is to bind metals to prevent them from oxidizing and degrading
> fats and oils. That is the role of carboxylic acid salts such as
> propionates, sorbates, and benzoates that I am aware of.
Well, I might as well add a couple of cents here. A lot of chelating
agents (EDTA, BHT, etc.) are used as preservatives because they bind
metals. These metals don't freely float around and oxidise things,
however, they are found in enzymes of microorganisms that would attempt
to live on food stuffs. These chemicals are usually used on the
packaging, instead of on the food itself. As far as propionate and
benzoate, a wealth of information on these compounds can be found in
chem abstracts. Searching these data bases can often be even more fun
than reading a newsgroup!
cheers,
Bill
Peter J. Barnes
In article <327EDA...@students.wisc.edu>, "Timothy J. Stachoviak"
<tsta...@students.wisc.edu> writes
>cra...@siue.edu wrote:
>snip
>> What does calcium propionate actually do to the bread?
>> Where can I find more information on this preservative?
>>
>> Cheryl Ransick
>
>I may be contributing to rumor propagattion, but I heard recently that
>the mold inhibiting action of propionate was discovered when it was
>observed that Swiss cheese was much more mold resistant than other
>varieties. It was then determined that Swiss cheese had a high level of
>propionate. The fact was presented in a televised U-Wisconsin food
>science course.
>
>Tim
and other of the so-called volatile fatty acids (VFA). We would be more
mouldy too! These acids are present in sweat, together with other
compounds, and they help prevent the growth of pathogenic fungi on the
skin. Hence the sweaty or old socks smell of some cheeses!
I guess also that it is the propionic acid and other VFA in farm silage
which prevents fungal growth but allows bacterial growth, and thus
bacterial fermentation.
Vinegar has been used in bread as a preservative too.
Peter
--
Peter J. Barnes