Comparing E524 - Sodium hydroxide vs E281 - Sodium propionate

Synonyms
E524
Sodium hydroxide
Caustic soda
E281
Sodium propionate
Products

Found in 393 products

Found in 2,565 products

Search rank & volume
#5258K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#2851K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×21.32
over-aware

×0.06
under-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions
  1. What is sodium hydroxide used for?

    In foods, E524 (sodium hydroxide/lye) is used as a pH regulator and processing aid—for peeling fruits and vegetables, curing olives, Dutch-processing cocoa, and creating the characteristic crust on pretzels and some noodles. Outside food, it’s widely used in soapmaking, cleaning, and pulp and paper production.

  2. Is sodium hydroxide a base?

    Yes—it's a very strong base (alkali) with a high pH and is highly caustic; in foods it's used only in small, controlled amounts.

  3. What is the chemical formula for sodium hydroxide?

    NaOH.

  4. What is the formula for sodium hydroxide?

    NaOH (composed of sodium cations, Na+, and hydroxide anions, OH−).

  5. How to make sodium hydroxide?

    Industrial sodium hydroxide is produced by the chlor-alkali process (electrolysis of brine), yielding NaOH, chlorine, and hydrogen. Do not attempt to make it yourself; for any food use, only purchase certified food‑grade lye.

  1. Is sodium propionate bad for you?

    Generally no: it’s a permitted preservative (GRAS in the U.S.; approved in the EU) with low toxicity at typical food levels. High amounts may cause stomach upset and add sodium, and people with the rare disorder propionic acidemia may need to limit it.

  2. "what is the ph of a 0.26 m solution of sodium propionate"?

    About pH 9.1 at 25°C (it’s the salt of a weak acid, so its solution is mildly basic).

  3. 5. sodium acetate and sodium propionate are poor soaps. why?

    Because they’re salts of very short‑chain fatty acids (C2 and C3), they’re too water‑soluble to act as effective surfactants and don’t form stable micelles, so they clean and foam poorly.

  4. How do sodium benzoate and sodium propionate keep yeast and fungus from growing?

    They act as weak‑acid preservatives: in acidic foods the undissociated acid enters cells, acidifies the cytoplasm, and disrupts energy metabolism and enzyme function, inhibiting yeasts and molds. Benzoate works best below about pH 4.5; propionate is especially effective against molds in baked goods at mildly acidic pH.

  5. How much sodium propionate in baking?

    Typically about 0.1–0.3% of flour weight (≈1–3 g per kg flour) under good manufacturing practice to inhibit mold; higher levels can affect yeast activity and flavor. Check local regulations for permitted maxima.