sorbic acid

[ sawr-bik ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline compound, C 6 H 8 O 2 , slightly soluble in water, soluble in many organic solvents: used as a preservative in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food.

sorbic acid

/ ˈsɔːbɪk /

noun

1. a white crystalline unsaturated carboxylic acid found in berries of the mountain ash and used to inhibit the growth of moulds and as an additive for certain synthetic coatings, as of cheese ( E200 ); 2,4-hexadienoic acid. It exists as cis- and trans- isomers, the latter being the one usually obtained. Formula: CH 3 CH:CHCH:CHCOOH

sorbic acid

/ sôr′bĭk /

1. A white crystalline solid that is found in the berries of the rowan or prepared synthetically and is used as a food preservative and a fungicide. Chemical formula: C 6 H 8 O 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorbic acid¹

First recorded in 1805–15; sorb ¹ + -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorbic acid¹

C19: from sorb (the tree), from its discovery in the berries of the mountain ash