sodium benzoate

sodium benzoate or benzoate of soda, chemical compound, C₆H5CO2Na, colorless or white crystalline, aromatic compound; the sodium salt of benzoic acid. It is soluble in water and is used as a preservative in foods and beverages; because it is poisonous, the concentration is limited by law to 0.1%.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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