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Potassium carbonates are a substance that entered human life as early as 1,5-2 thousand years BC. All this time, its properties have been used, including for cooking, not to mention the numerous and diverse chemical reactions and processes. The study of the substance is still ongoing, but today it is one of the safest nutritional supplements. Potassium carbonate, potash or additive E501 exhibits the properties of a baking powder, acidity regulator, stabilizer, which is why manufacturers appreciate it. However, in addition to the sphere of food production, potassium carbonate has found application in other industries.
History of Potassium Carbonate: From Wood Ash to Carbon Dioxide
Potash is a substance that was mined by man in ancient times using wood ash or seaweed ash. The ash was treated with hot water in special wooden containers, after which the resulting solution was poured into a burning fire, while trying not to extinguish it.
As a result of evaporating the fire with a solution, a large layer of salt was formed at the bottom. To get 1 kilogram of potash, 2 cubic meters of wood were consumed, which made the substance expensive and unprofitable for mass or factory use.
Until the end of the 19th century, potash was mined by the method of water extraction from ash, mainly in Russia and North America, partly in Europe. For example, in Russia already in the 16th century factories for the extraction of substances were opened. The main production technology in the factory was still based on the use of wood ash: it was poured into a wooden container and filled with clean water. After 4-6 hours, when the ash was partially dissolved, the liquid part of the mixture (alkaline water) was poured into a metal cauldron, and the remains of the ash were again filled with water, leaving for about 4-6 hours. The cycle was repeated only 2 to 4 times, until all the ash in dissolved form with water was in the boiler. After the boiler began to heat up, evaporating the liquid. As a result, a layer of gray salt remained at the bottom of the metal cauldron. After calcination in the oven, it became pure white.
From the 17th to the 19th century, potash was the main chemical reagent in Europe, it was often used in cooking, and formed the basis of various detergents and cleaning products.
Today, the method of synthesizing the additive looks different: it is produced by exposing potassium hydroxide to carbon dioxide.
Properties of additive E501, its chemical characteristics
Potassium carbonate is an average salt of potassium and carbonic acid. Appearance is a white crystalline powder, odorless. But the taste of the additive is present – a characteristic alkaline. In hydrated form, it may appear as colorless crystals.
The substance is insoluble in alcohols, but has good solubility in water. It is also characterized by high thermal stability and strong hygroscopicity. Being in the air, the substance draws moisture into itself, and its crystals literally blur.
Melting point – 891 degrees Celsius.
Under the code “E501” there are several types of food additives:
- potassium carbonate E501i;
- potassium bicarbonate E501ii.
The main properties of the additive are stabilizing (the ability to create and fix the necessary shape, texture and structure of the product), regulating the acidity of the environment (potassium carbonate is used to establish and maintain a certain pH level). It can also be used as an emulsifier and baking powder.
In addition, the substance has an antimicrobial and keratolytic effect.
The use of potash: centuries ago and now
Initially, when the substance was first discovered by man, it was appreciated as an effective means for cleaning and disinfecting. After leaching tree resin in water bodies, it was easier to wash fabrics in them and clean dishes from food debris and grease. Later, the property of improving the dough was discovered – after adding potash, it became more airy. Starting around the 16th century, the main industries for the consumption of potassium carbonate were the manufacture of glass, soap making and the production of dyes. We can say that potash has reached the production level.
Today, the scope of use of the E501 additive has expanded significantly. It can be found, for example, in some foods:
- in chocolate (used as a stabilizer and emulsifier that improves the structure and prevents the appearance of a white coating on chocolate);
- in cocoa products, milk powder, cookies, pastries, bakery products (acts as a leavening agent, and in yeast dough is a nutrient medium for yeast);
- in condensed milk (stabilizes the consistency);
- in jams, marmalade and citrus preserves (regulates acidity);
- in gingerbread (instead of the addition of E500);
- in soft drinks (acts as an acidity regulator).
The pharmaceutical industry appreciates potassium carbonate for its disinfectant effect: the substance is included in the composition of ointments, creams and gels with a bactericidal and antifungal effect, anti-scabies solutions.
In case of hypokalemia, potassium bicarbonate is prescribed as part of a combination therapy together with sodium alginate or sodium citrate.
As before, the substance is used as a cleaner and component of household chemicals, liquid soap, various hand sanitizers and cutlery.
In the field of agriculture, potassium carbonate is considered an effective fertilizer for the soil, in addition, they treat and disinfect premises for animals: pens, barns, stalls.
As a component of some building materials, E501 provides their frost resistance.
Impact on a person: benefit or harm
Potassium, as an element vital for the normal functioning of the body, is contained in the human body itself, and in the course of its vital activity it can be washed out. Potassium carbonate can be considered as a source of potassium replenishment. The substance is absorbed by the walls of the digestive tract, the remains are excreted along with waste products.
On the other hand, an excess of E501 supplements can provoke the development of hyperkalemia, that is, a condition when the kidneys cannot remove all excess potassium from the body, and it begins to accumulate. It is the kidneys that suffer in the first place, since as a result, the function of the adrenal glands (Addison’s disease) may be impaired.
In its pure form, potassium carbonate is unsafe, like any alkali. Upon contact with the skin, a chemical burn appears with the corresponding symptoms (redness, irritation, itching). It is necessary to rinse the affected area with running cold water as soon as possible, and if necessary, consult a doctor.
If the substance enters the respiratory tract, it negatively affects the mucous membranes, as a result of which an allergic reaction, suffocation, and asthmatic attacks may occur.
The concentration of the additive in food is so small that it does not harm a person. Care should be taken rather with cleaning products and various biologically active additives with E501 in the composition.
Packaging options for a substance: how potassium carbonate is transported and stored
Usually, in the factory, the additive is packaged in bags, containers or drums. Bags must meet certain requirements: they must be either five-layer with a laminated layer inside, or multi-layer paper with an appropriate lining, or propylene, which must also have a protective inner layer.
Drums and boxes are made of corrugated cardboard, and inside they have a layer of food-grade polyethylene, which is also used for the production of special containers for transportation and storage E501.
Potassium carbonate or potassium carbonate is one of the oldest salts known to man. It, as a component of wood ash, was discovered back in the 2nd millennium BC, and is still used in various fields of human activity.
The additive is approved for use in Ukraine, Russia, the states of the European Union. You can meet it in food (chocolate, jam, marmalade, condensed milk, cocoa products), as well as in cleaning products, medicines and building materials. Farmers also use the substance to fertilize land, treat wounds in livestock, and disinfect premises where animals are kept.