preservation Preserving with Sodium Benzoate

[dresgar]

Hey all,
 
I've noticed that many large commercial sauces list sodium benzoate as an ingredient (usually the last one) for preservation. 
 
Does anyone in the group have any experience with utilizing sodium benzoate as a preservation ingredient? 
 
If you do, can you share how you integrate it into the sauce (quantity, at what stage, etc)?
 
I'm also curious how it affect flavor 

 

[The Hot Pepper]

If I were you I would stay all-natural. You may think this is natural since it is a naturally occurring chemical found in some berries, but, for mass-production it is synthesized in labs.

 

[SmokenFire]

I do not use any preservatives or binders in my sauces.  I have experimented with them in the past but I did not like the resultant flavor/textures that I was able to come up with in small batches. 
 
If there is ever a day where I'm shipping pallets and making sauces in 100 gallon batches that won't see customer hands for months - maybe - but highly doubtful that I'd consider it even at that point. 
 
I just don't feel that the customer base that I am after would be okay with such ingredients.  Not saying others wouldn't, and not trying to cause trouble - just being truthful.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

You don't use vinegar or citric acid?

 

[dresgar]

I think people are reading too far into my question

Not necessarily thinking about using it myself, more just curious about it.

I usually use citric, ascorbic, or fumaric acid for acidification.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

ummmm ok?

 

[salsalady]

Greetings dresgar, and to THP.
 
 
When reading the OP, I took it as you were looking to see how to integrate it into something you were making.  Just the wording of the post sounded like you were asking as a processor, hence the next couple comments.
 
 
I agree with THP and SnF.  I use vinegars and ascorbic acid in my products.  I have some citric acid powder in the pantry but have never worked that into a recipe.  Can't comment on sodium benzoate other than a TON of small processors make tons of sauces without it.  
 
hope this helps~
salsalady 
 
 

 

[PepperDoc]

I've only used vinegar, citrus juice, and naturally-derived citric acid in my sauces. 
 
Speaking as someone who does purity control in pharmaceuticals for a living, I would never choose to ingest materials that are most likely derived from petroleum. In this case, it's not the sodium benzoate itself that's the hazard, it's the impurities that may come along with it. I don't want impurities that come from non-food sources.
 
Also: additives that are considered OK for use in food are often (ironically) not acceptable for drugs, even though we eat food by the pound. If I were you, I'd keep my sauces natural.