Good alternative for sodium benzoate and POTASSIUM SORBATE

[shaggyballs]

What is a Good alternative for a preservative used in multiple fertilizers, sprays and hydro - some dirt

sodium benzoate...read somewhere mixing it with vitamin c creates benzene.....
Benzoates can trigger the allergies such as skin rashes and asthma as well as believed to be causing brain damage.
Most effective on low pH, below 4.5

POTASSIUM SORBATE
possibly interacts poorly with root growth

POTASSIUM
SORBATE
• Sorbicfamily : Potassium Sorbate,
Sodium Sorbate, Calcium Sorbate
• Potasium Sorbate will produce
Sorbic Acid once its dissolves in
water
• Widely used preservative in the
world
• Effective against yeast, molds, and
bacteria
• Effective up to pH 6.5
• Maximum level allowable by law is
0.1%






Sodium Benzoate &
Benzoic Acid
• The two are related because
sodium benzoate produces benzoic
acid once dissolves in water
• Anti-microbial properties
• Most effective on low pH, below 4.5
• Best for pickling preservatives
since vinegar is used which is sour
which means low pH.
• Naturally found in cranberries,
prunes, plums, cinnamon, ripe
olives, and apples.
BENZOATE
(CONTINUE)
• Sodium Benzoate is used in
fruit products, relishes,
beverages, dressings, salads,
pies & pastries fillings, icing,
olives, and saurkraut
• It is against yeast, molds, and
some bacteria
• Use low level to avoid off-flavor
• Maximum level allowed by Law
is 0.1%

http://crees.org/resources/files/forms/25.pdf

 

[shaggyballs]

Thanks to Only Ornamental for this info!
You're right, benzoic acid isn't suitable, but sorbic acid (potassium sorbate) is at least partially effective up to pH 6 but best below 5. You may also combine benzoate or sorbate salts (they dissolve better in water than the free acids) with phenoxyethanol or benzyl alcohol to make them effective up to pH 5.5 (partially active up to pH 6). Parabens are OK from pH 4 to 8.
Problem is, most natural preservatives are acids and they only work in their neutral form (that means, the pH should be below the pKa for optimal performance and not surpass 1 to 1.5 (90-95% in the salt form) unit of the pKa value aka 'acitity' (you'll find the pKa usually published in Wikipedia on the right side below the structure, where you have the info on solubility, melting point etc.).

MethylParaben

Widely Used Mold inhibitor & Preservative

MethylParaben is a popular mold inhibitor and / or preservative product used in many cosmetics, personal care products, and in many other applications where you want to stop / inhibit mold growth.

Some applications: Soap making, detergents, personal care.

Methyl Paraben is typically used at levels from 0.5 to 1.0% depending on the application.

Also Known as:4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, methyl ester; Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-, methyl ester; Benzoic acid, p-hydroxy-, methyl ester;,Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate; Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate; Methyl parahydroxybenzoate, Methylparaben

CAS # 000099-76-3

Learn about your particular application and the suitability of this product for your particular use. Since this is an antimicrobial, many of its uses are outlined, specified, and governed by law.

Propyl Paraben

Propyl Paraben is a common preservative. It is found in many water based products such as cosmetics, cremes, lotions, shampoos, and bath products.

It is the ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. It occurs as a natural substance found in many plants and even some insects. It is manufactured synthetically for use as a preservative.

Synonyms- Propyl Paraben Preservative, 4-Hydroxybenzoes�urepropylester; propyl paraben; propyl p-hydroxybenzoate; propyl parahydroxybenzoate; nipasol; E216

CAS:94-13-3

For best protection use together.



Any others??

 

[shaggyballs]

I am currently trying both paraben.
It did not kill existing mold growth.
But I only gave it a few days!!!

 

[sunset limited]

any new results to report? i just picked up a pound of this stuff, hoping to stop whey protein from going rancid once dissolved.

 

[Only Ornamental]

Hi there,

Even with strong fungicides, sanitising a fungal/yeast infection is close to impossible when you don't want to kill anything in contact with the contaminated liquid (like your plants or my cancer cell lines in the lab). Parabens are preservatives, their aim is to preserve something from getting spoiled, not to cure it!
Parabens at the recommended concentration work also for fruit fly cultures. If you never cultivated those (for example to feed your baby geckos or poison dart frogs), the nutrient broth may contain mashed banana, milk or cereal porridge; if that stuff doesn't get mould...

Unfortunately, environmental friendly preservatives aren't going to protect against anything and you always have the risk of yeast and bacteria starting to grow in it (shelf life may be around 3 to 6 month in diluted aqueous solutions). Especially high protein solutions reduce the efficacy of nearly any preservative considerably (shelf life may drop to a few weeks)!
Anyway, the best way to stock something is freezing or at least keeping it in the fridge below 4°C. Adjusting pH to ~4 (p.ex. lactic acid) does help as well but one has to be certain not to degrade active ingredients upon changing acidity (but pH 4 is not that drastic and should work for most things if only kept some weeks).

 

[shaggyballs]

any new results to report? i just picked up a pound of this stuff, hoping to stop whey protein from going rancid once dissolved.

Congratulations on the cup!!!!


Still waiting to see if it grows mold.

@ OO Thanks for your input!

What ppm is recommended for in plants?
cosmetics are 0.05-1.0 %
seems high

I know a combo is best!

Is the salt base a better choice or just easy mixing?

 

[Only Ornamental]

1% clearly is way too high also for cosmetics. 0.1% methylparaben plus 0.01% propylparaben should do the trick in many cases, 0.18% MP plus 0.02% PP is a standard for harsher conditions.
The sodium salts are better water soluble (the free form on the other hand is very poorly soluble and a pain to dissolve) .
You can also dissolve in propylene glycol (alternatively glycerol or ethanol) and then dilute in water/liquid so that the final amount of propylene glycol is at 2-5%. This also enhances the activity of the parabens and acts as gentle preservative by itself.

 

[shaggyballs]

Thanks OO:
you are the Niagara falls of knowledge!!!

 

[Olifant]

What about Calcium propionate? I know it's used as a preservative for cheap white bread. Propionic acid (propanoic acid) is similar to acetic acid (ethanoic acid) the acid in vinegar but one carbon atom (or rather a methylene group) longer. Seems like it would be pretty plant friendly.

 

[Only Ornamental]

It's a mild fungistatic; that means, it considerably slows the growth of fungi but doesn't kill them. The active part is the propionic acid but why and how it works, I do not know...
It's main use is in bread so you can keep it a few days longer and in yoghurt where it helps the yoghurt culture to remain the only microbes in the milk/yoghurt. Some yoghurt (mainly such with fruit chunks) contain living propionibacteria instead (just a small percentage of the lactic acid bacteria).
It doesn't help much (if at all) against bacteria... But on the bright side, calcium propionate is very plant friendly and will be used as nutrient and mineral (therefore, the concentration in the water will drop constantly). I fear it won't preserve enough but why not give it a try and find out?

 

[shaggyballs]

Has anyone tried it in 6 years?