Can potassium sorbate (E202) be tasted and smelled by everyone or just a few people?
Potassium sorbate (in Europe: E202, or 'Kaliumsorbat' in German) spoils a lot of the packaged food for me – I clearly smell and taste it. I can also clearly smell it e.g. in a medicinal cream I bought at the pharmacy. The smell/taste is very specific, a kind of organic 'sweetish-sour', remotely reminding me of wax when it is stronger, and I don't really like it. The taste also doesn't disappear after cooking as I just experienced with a pack of fresh potato dumpling dough from the supermarket (Germany) – after kneading the dough I could still smell the additive in my hand palms for a few hours.
All the online info sources suggest that potassium sorbate wouldn't impart its own taste to the food, but the opposite is the case in my experience. Now I wonder if it's possible that not everyone can smell/taste it, e.g., for genetic reasons? Otherwise the Internet should be full of comments to this effect.
Best Answer
Exercise.com and Moonsharvest.com say potassium sorbate can have a sweet odor.
According to Wikipedia, some yeasts can change potassium sorbate into pentadiene, which has a typical odor of kerosene or petroleum.
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Can you taste potassium sorbate?
Taste and Aroma: Flavorless or subtle bubblegum like taste and aroma for people with sensitive taste palates. Uses: Potassium Sorbate is a popular stabilizer, mold inhibitor and food preservative used in: Wine making, dried fruits, cheese, meat, yougurt, cider and baking.What does potassium sorbate smell like?
Exercise.com and Moonsharvest.com say potassium sorbate can have a sweet odor. According to Wikipedia, some yeasts can change potassium sorbate into pentadiene, which has a typical odor of kerosene or petroleum.Is potassium sorbate clean eating?
Even though potassium sorbate and other additives are considered safe, you can avoid them by eating fewer processed foods.Is potassium sorbate toxic?
Potassium Sorbate: A preservative used to suppress formation of molds and yeasts in foods, wines and personal care products. In-vitro studies suggest that it is toxic to DNA and has a negative affect on immunity.Can You Really Taste Potassium Sorbate \u0026 Metabisulfite?
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