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How Does Potassium Sorbate Affect Yeast

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Potassium sorbate is a white salt, generally used as a food preservative made to stop mold and yeast from forming. This potassium salt was first discovered in mountain ash trees, although it is now produced synthetically. It is most commonly found in foods such as wine, cheese and dried fruit, being used by companies as big as McDonalds. This is also its use in these cookies giving the food a longer shelf life as it acts as an inhibitor to the mold and yeast. This is done through a couple different ways. Firstly, the potassium sorbate damages the cell membrane, secondly, it removes protein from the cells and finally by disrupting the mold metabolism. This highly soluble substance’s chemical formula is C6H7KO2 and is a fairly controversial substance.

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