Calcium propanoate
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| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name
Calcium dipropanoate | |
| Other names
Calcium propionate Calcium dipropionate Mycoban E282 | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.021.633 |
| EC Number |
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| E number | E282 (preservatives) |
| KEGG | |
PubChem CID |
|
| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
| |
| Properties | |
| C6H10CaO4 | |
| Molar mass | 186.2192 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline solid |
| Melting point | 385 °C (725 °F; 658 K)[2] |
| 49 g/100 mL (0 °C) 55.8 g/100 mL (100 °C) | |
| Solubility | slightly soluble in methanol, ethanol insoluble in acetone, benzene |
| Structure | |
| monoclinic | |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling:[3] | |
 | |
| Danger | |
| H318 | |
| P264+P265, P280, P305+P354+P338, P317 | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Calcium propanoate or calcium propionate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ca(C2H5COO)2. It is the calcium salt of propanoic acid.
Uses
[edit]Food additive
[edit]As a food additive, it is listed as E number 282 in the Codex Alimentarius. Calcium propionate is used as a preservative in a variety of products including bread, baked goods, processed meat, whey, and dairy products.[4] It is only effective in foods with a pH of 5.5 or below (i.e., foods that are relatively more acidic).[5]
In bakery products, it acts as a mold inhibitor, typically added at 0.1–0.4%.[5] Calcium propionate and sodium propionate are effective against both Bacillus mesentericus (rope) and mold.[6]
Agriculture
[edit]In agriculture, it is used to prevent milk fever in cows and as a feed supplement.[7]
It can be used as a fungicide on fruit.[8]
Industrial
[edit]It is of research interest in the production of belite cement clinkers[9] and as a dual NOx/SOx reducing agent in coal furnaces.[10]
Reactions
[edit]Thermal decomposition in an inert atmosphere follows a radical mechanism that yields 3-pentanone.[2] In the presence of oxygen, an exothermic reaction occurs involving the formation of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, acetaldehyde, methane and water.[2] This occurs at approximately 310 °C (590 °F; 583 K), while the radical pathway occurs near the melting point at 385 °C (725 °F; 658 K).[2] Both pathways end in the formation of calcite.[2]
Safety
[edit]In a 1973 study reported by the EPA, the waterborne administration of 180 ppm of calcium propionate was found to be slightly toxic to bluegill sunfish.[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ Merck Index, 11th Edition, 1705.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Zaidi, Sihem; Sanchez-Rodriguez, Daniel; Farjas, Jordi; Mohamed, Dammak; Roura-Grabulosa, Pere (2023-12-01). "Thermal decomposition of calcium propionate: films and powders". Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. 148 (23): 13039–13049. doi:10.1007/s10973-023-12177-2. ISSN 1588-2926.
- ↑ PubChem. "Calcium propionate". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ↑ Codex Alimentarius data for calcium propanoate Archived 2006-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
- 1 2 New York State Food Venture Center, Cornell University (Summer 1998). "Chemical Food Preservatives: Propionates and Parabens". Geneva, New York. Archived from the original on 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
- ↑ Furia, T. E. (1973). CRC Handbook of Food Additives. CRC Handbook of Food Additives. CRC Press.
- ↑ Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech–Alexandria (August 12, 2002). CFNP TAP Review: Calcium Propinate, Livestock (PDF) (Report). USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-05-15.
- ↑ Biggs, A. R.; El-Kholi, M. M.; El-Neshawy, S.; Nickerson, R. (1997). "Effects of Calcium Salts on Growth, Polygalacturonase Activity, and Infection of Peach Fruit by Monilinia fructicola". Plant Disease. 81 (4): 399–403. Bibcode:1997PlDis..81..399B. doi:10.1094/PDIS.1997.81.4.399. PMID 30861823.
- ↑ Betancur-Granados, Natalia; Molina, Jarol E.; Pöllmann, Herbert; Tobón, Jorge I.; Restrepo-Baena, Oscar Jaime (2021-03-01). "Influence of metallic precursors in the mineralogy and reactivity of belite cement clinkers obtained by flame spray pyrolysis". Materials Today Communications. 26 101917. doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2020.101917. ISSN 2352-4928.
- ↑ Patsias, A. A.; Nimmo, W.; Gibbs, B. M.; Williams, P. T. (2005-10-01). "Calcium-based sorbents for simultaneous NOx/SOx reduction in a down-fired furnace". Fuel. 84 (14): 1864–1873. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2005.03.009. ISSN 0016-2361.
- ↑ "OPP PESTICIDE ECOTOXICITY DATABASE - Details - Pesticide: Calcium propionate". EPA / USDA / NIFA. Archived from the original on 2019-01-23. Retrieved 2019-01-22.