What is food preservation? Name three common chemical food preservatives.
A process to prolong the life of food items by preventing their spoilage by the action of microbes is called food preservation.
Common chemical food preservatives are:
1. Benzoates (such as sodium benzoate, benzoic acid)
2. Nitrites (such as sodium nitrite)
3. Sulphites (such as sulphur dioxide)
4. Sorbates (such as sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate.