propionic acid

American  

noun

Chemistry, Pharmacology.

1. a colorless, oily, water-soluble liquid, C 3 H 6 O 2 , having a pungent odor: used in making bread-mold-inhibiting propionates, in perfumery, and in medicine as a topical fungicide.

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propionic acid British  

/ ˌprəʊpɪˈɒnɪk /

noun

1. the former name for propanoic acid

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propionic acid Scientific  

/ prō′pē-ŏn′ĭk /

1. A liquid fatty acid found naturally in sweat and milk products and as a product of bacterial fermentation. It is also prepared synthetically from ethanol and carbon monoxide, and is used chiefly in the form of its propionates as a mold inhibitor in bread and as an ingredient in perfume. Chemical formula: C ₃ H ₆ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of propionic acid

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

propionic acid

Clostridia bacterial pathogens, for instance, generate propionic acid in the gut — a short-chain fatty acid known to disrupt the production of neurotransmitters.

From Nature ● Jan. 28, 2020

This compound can be prepared by the reaction of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, with propionic acid, C2H5CO2H, which has properties similar to those of acetic acid.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Vinegar will replace propionic acid, a preservative in its turkey. Banana peppers will be given their fluorescent sheen with turmeric, often used in Indian curries, instead of Yellow No. 5.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 4, 2015

Some of the changes will include using banana peppers that are colored with turmeric instead of Yellow No. 5 and using turkey that includes with vinegar rather than the preservative propionic acid.

From Time ● Jun. 4, 2015

On the other hand, propionic acid, which is poisonous, does not cause much mucus to be secreted, yet the surrounding fluid became slightly pink.

From Insectivorous Plants by Darwin, Charles