E210 Preservative

E210 and its salts are used as food preservatives, represented by and E210. E210 inhibits the growth of mold, yeast. and some bacteria. It is either added directly or created from reactions with its sodium, potassium, or calcium salt. The mechanism starts with the absorption of E210 into the cell. If the intracellular pH changes to 5 or lower, the anaerobic fermentation of glucose through phosphofructokinase is decreased by 95%. The efficacy of E210 and benzoate is thus dependent on the pH of the food. Acidic food and beverage like  fruit juice  ( citric acid ), sparkling drinks ( carbon dioxide ),  soft drinks  ( phosphoric acid ),  pickles  ( vinegar ), or other acidified food are preserved with E210 

Typical levels of use for E210 as a preservative in food are between 0.05 and 0.1%. Foods in which E210 may be used and maximum levels for its application are controlled by local food laws.

Concern has been expressed that E210 and its salts may react with  ascorbic acid  (vitamin C) in some soft drinks, forming small quantities of carcinogenic E210