“Preservative” is the functional name for a wide range of compounds that are used to help slow or prevent the growth of bacteria in a variety of products, including foods, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. These compounds can be natural or synthetic. Preservatives play an important role in many of the products that people use every day - for example, by helping to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms and preventing products from deteriorating or becoming contaminated.
1. Uses and benefits
- Preservatives in food
Various preservatives are added to food to prevent spoilage caused by bacteria, molds, fungi and yeast. Preservatives extend the freshness and shelf life of food. Food preservatives are also used to slow or prevent changes in color, taste or texture and to delay food spoilage.
- Preservatives in drugs and medicines
Preservatives are commonly used in drugs such as acetaminophen, insulin and cough syrup to prevent microbial contamination. Simply put, preservatives help prevent the growth of microorganisms, especially bacteria and fungi that can cause disease or infection.
- Preservatives in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products help prevent contamination and the growth of harmful bacteria in products such as sunscreens, skin lotions, shampoos, cleansers, toothpastes, and cosmetics.
Antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products help prevent the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria, and prevent contamination that can lead to inflammation or infection. Antioxidant preservatives can also help prevent deterioration of personal care products by inhibiting the reactions that can occur when certain components of a cosmetic or personal care product combine with oxygen when exposed to light, heat and certain metals.
- Preservatives in Wood
Wood treated with preservatives can be used to build utility poles, road signs and marine piles as well as decks, theater stages and garden beds.
2. Safety Information
- Safety of Preservatives in Food
The use of preservatives in food is strictly investigated, regulated and monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Federal regulations require evidence that food additives are safe when used for their intended purpose.
The safety of food preservatives is under continual review by the FDA as a scientifically recognized and continually improving test method.
- Safety of Preservatives in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Unlike foods, beauty products and ingredients that contain preservatives, with the exception of color additives, do not require FDA approval before they can be placed on the market.The FDA will take steps to identify products in the marketplace that do not comply with the regulations; for example, if the product contains any toxic or hazardous substances.The FDA monitors the company's implementation of a product recall, or if the company does not voluntarily implement a recall, the FDA may require the company to do so.The FDA will take steps to identify products that do not comply with the regulations; for example, if a product contains any toxic or hazardous substances.
- Safety of Drugs and Preservatives in Drugs
The FDA generally considers preservatives in drugs to be “inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients (such as dyes, preservatives, and flavorings) are part of a drug and do not interfere with the therapeutic effect of the active ingredient.FDA's Inactive Ingredient Database provides detailed information about inactive ingredients in FDA-approved drugs.
The FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other federal agencies regularly monitor and investigate vaccine safety.
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