Sodium acetate

Sodium acetate represents one of salts of acetic acid. This substance is widely used as preservative in production of food stuffs under the name of E-262 nutritional supplement.

Receiving sodium acetate

In the industry of sodium acetate receive by dry wood distillation. But practically each of us at least once in the life carried out in kitchen a chemical change on receiving sodium acetate. This usual clearing of baking soda with acetic acid! The equation of reaction of receiving sodium acetate looks so:

_NaHCO3 + _CH3COOH = _CH3COONa + _H2CO3

As a result of it sodium acetate and the carbonic acid which is extremely unstable connection which decays practically at once on water and carbon dioxide is formed. Therefore it is quite possible to tell that as a result of interaction of acetic acid and baking soda aqueous solution of sodium acetate from which it is possible to receive a crystal form of this substance by evaporation is formed.

Properties of sodium acetate and its distribution in the nature

Sodium acetate represents the colourless crystal substance possessing a slight smell of acetic acid. Its crystals are a little alcohol-soluble also ether, but are well dissolved in water, forming sodium acetate solution. It is not combustible, possess a hypotoxicity.

Sodium acetate widely meets in the nature. This substance is a part, both animal, and plant cells. The majority of fruit on an equal basis with natural acids contain also sodium acetate. It is formed also in the course of bacterial fermentation therefore it can always be found in any sour-milk products.

Sodium acetate use

Sodium acetate is widely used in the food industry. It is added to flour, for protection of bakery products against the "potato disease" caused by Bacillus mesentericus. Besides, this nutritional supplement is added to any vegetable canned food since it well softens excessively acute taste of acetic acid. Quite often sodium acetate is used as nutritional supplement and by production of chips to which it gives pleasant, slightly giving a vinegar smell, aroma and taste.

Sodium acetate is included into the list of the nutritional supplements allowed for use in all European countries including in Russia and in Ukraine.

Thanks to such property of sodium acetate as a hypotoxicity, it is considered that the healthy person can eat it in any quantity. Therefore in Russia the maximum daily dose on the use of this substance is not established.

In addition to the food industry sodium acetate is applied in medicine (is a part of a number of diuretics and some other drugs), in construction, chemistry, the textile industry, galvanotechnics and in the photo.

Dangerous properties of sodium acetate for health

In spite of the fact that sodium acetate is substance with a hypotoxicity, it after all can do harm to health of the person. It is not necessary to eat the products containing E-262 nutritional supplement to the people having vegeto-vascular dystonia, arterial hypertension, dysbacteriosis and also with diseases of urinary tract, intestines, gall bladder, liver.

Danger of the use of sodium acetate in food is that in intestines it is capable to turn into very toxic nitrates possessing besides cancerogenic action. Results of repeatedly conducted scientific research showed that the excessive use of sodium acetate several times increases risk of emergence of malignant new growths, and also enough strong allergic reactions.

In addition, high doses of sodium acetate can lead to poisoning. Its signs are:

• Headache and dizziness;
• Suddenly arising pains in a stomach;
• Pallor of skin and mucous membranes;
• Spasms;
• Lacks of coordination;
• Breath difficulty;
• Syncope.

Sodium acetate cannot be used by production of the products intended for food of children. Therefore if on packaging of a product, you see that E-262 nutritional supplement is its part, then refuse its purchase for the child.