Calcium propanoate

Last updated
Calcium propanoate [1]
Calcium propanoate.svg
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Calcium dipropanoate
Other names
Calcium propionate
Calcium dipropionate
Mycoban
E282
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.021.633 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
EC Number
  • 223-795-8
E number E282 (preservatives)
KEGG
PubChem CID
UNII
  • InChI=1S/2C3H6O2.Ca/c2*1-2-3(4)5;/h2*2H2,1H3,(H,4,5);/q;;+2/p-2 X mark.svgN
    Key: BCZXFFBUYPCTSJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L X mark.svgN
  • InChI=1/2C3H6O2.Ca/c2*1-2-3(4)5;/h2*2H2,1H3,(H,4,5);/q;;+2/p-2
    Key: BCZXFFBUYPCTSJ-NUQVWONBAE
  • CCC(=O)[O-].CCC(=O)[O-].[Ca+2]
Properties
C6H10CaO4
Molar mass 186.2192 g/mol
AppearanceWhite 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]
GHS-pictogram-acid.svg
Danger
H318
P264+P265, P280, P305+P354+P338, P317
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704.svgHealth 2: Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. E.g. chloroformFlammability 1: Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Flash point over 93 °C (200 °F). E.g. canola oilInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
2
1
0
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
X mark.svgN  verify  (what is  Yes check.svgYX mark.svgN ?)

Calcium propanoate or calcium propionate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ca(C 2 H 5 C O O)2. It is the calcium salt of propanoic acid.

Contents

Uses

Food additive

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

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

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

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

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

  1. ↑ Merck Index, 11th Edition, 1705.
  2. 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.
  3. ↑ PubChem. "Calcium propionate". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  4. ↑ Codex Alimentarius data for calcium propanoate Archived 2006-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 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.
  6. ↑ Furia, T. E. (1973). CRC Handbook of Food Additives. CRC Handbook of Food Additives. CRC Press.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ "OPP PESTICIDE ECOTOXICITY DATABASE - Details - Pesticide: Calcium propionate". EPA / USDA / NIFA. Archived from the original on 2019-01-23. Retrieved 2019-01-22.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.