Propylene glycol is one of those easily overlooked ingredients in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics which has a vital function in ensuring a product retains its shelf-life and does not deteriorate too rapidly.
Take a look at cake ingredients, sports supplements, confectionary and some baked goods and you will often see propylene glycol mentioned. It is an important stabiliser of colours and flavourings by preventing them from being degraded by the presence of water and helping to distribute that sort of ingredient throughout the product.
Propylene glycol is Generally Recognised as Safe so it has GRAS status which was granted by the US Food And Drug Administration in 1973.
Properties
In food, it is termed an humectant which is a small ingredient that lowers the water activity of the food in which it is present. It is added because water rapidly degrades many ingredients by helping to speed up chemical reactions, and to reduce the risk of microbial damage. Propylene glycol can extend the shelf-life flavourings like chocolate and vanilla by at least 3 months when it is present. It’s activity in foods is similar to sorbitol, erythritol and various sugars.
Safety
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives have reviewed scientific and toxicology research on the safety of propylene glycol to ensure that it is safe for its intended uses in food.
Regulatory Aspects
The levels of propylene glycol are regulated by various food safety bodies around the world. The level of consumption of propylene glycol is well below any safety levels set by bodies such as the USA’s FDA. It is not a concern in food manufacturing.
It is Not Antifreeze
A number of web-sites have mistakenly described propylene glycol as an antifreeze by confusing it with ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is extremely harmful to people and pets if consumed. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), propylene glycol is used in antifreeze in preference to ethylene glycol because it is much less harmful. However, people and pets should not consume antifreeze, as there may be other harmful chemicals or compounds in the product.
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