Why are food preservatives used in food?

Food preservatives play a crucial role in the modern food industry. While Qingdao Dawei Company continues to innovate and develop its existing products, it also aims to share the fundamental principles behind these products with everyone, helping people gain a deeper understanding of the food preservation industry.

　　Food preservatives play a crucial role in the modern food industry. While Qingdao Dawei Company continues to innovate and develop its existing products, it also aims to share the fundamental principles behind these products with everyone, helping people gain a deeper understanding of the food preservation industry.

　　In a typical natural environment, food loses its original nutritional value, structural characteristics, as well as its color, aroma, and taste due to the action of microorganisms, ultimately becoming unsuitable for consumption from a hygiene standpoint. Food preservatives are chemical or natural substances added to food—either synthetically produced or derived from nature—to prevent spoilage during food processing, storage, and transportation. These preservatives effectively inhibit microbial growth, helping to extend the shelf life of food under normal environmental conditions.

　　In modern food processing, only foods with significant preservation capabilities can meet consumer demands—hence, all food products must rely on appropriate antimicrobial technologies. Broadly speaking, the purpose of food preservatives is to reduce or prevent foodborne illnesses in humans. More specifically, they serve as one of the most effective measures to inhibit microbial activity and, consequently, delay food spoilage.

　　Preservatives are food additives used to maintain the original quality and nutritional value of food by inhibiting the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, thereby preventing spoilage and extending shelf life. There are roughly three main mechanisms behind how preservatives work: First, they interfere with microbial enzyme systems, disrupting normal metabolic processes and suppressing enzyme activity. Second, they cause proteins in microorganisms to coagulate and denature, impairing their ability to survive and multiply. Finally, they alter the permeability of the cell membrane, hindering the removal of enzymes and metabolic byproducts from within the cell, ultimately leading to cellular dysfunction and inactivation.