Sodium benzoate ( E211 ), also called benzoate of soda , has the chemical formula NaC 6 H 5 CO 2 . It is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and exists in this form when dissolved in water . It can be produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid . more

Sodium benzoate ( E211 ), also called benzoate of soda , has the chemical formula NaC 6 H 5 CO 2 . It is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and exists in this form when dissolved in water . It can be produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid .

Sodium benzoate is a preservative . It is bacteriostatic and fungistatic under acidic conditions. It is used most prevalently in acidic foods such as salad dressings ( vinegar ), carbonated drinks ( carbonic acid ), jams and fruit juices ( citric acid ), pickles ( vinegar ), and condiments . It is also found in alcohol-based mouthwash and silver polish. It can also be found in cough syrups like Robitussin . [ 1 ] Sodium benzoate is declared on a product label as 'sodium benzoate' or E211. less