Phosphates are called chemical bonds of different metals with phosphoric acid. Currently, there are a large number of varieties of phosphates that are used in various fields of activity. Potassium phosphate, which is often used as an antioxidant and bactericidal substance in the food industry, is no exception. It should be noted that antioxidants are substances that suppress the oxidation of other substances. For example, consider a bitten apple that darkens in the air. This happens because the oxygen in the air oxidizes the iron in the fruit. If potassium phosphate is poured on the site of the bite, the oxidation process will slow down many times. Thus, the metabolism in the body of bacteria is suppressed. That is why it is used as a preservative.
It should be noted that all phosphate compounds that are found in nature are orthophosphates. Most often, potassium orthophosphates (salts of orthophosphoric acid) are used in the food industry, one of which is E340. In industry, potassium orthophosphate E340, referred to as monophosphate, is a food supplement used as an acidity regulator, moisture retaining agent, and also a stabilizer, color fixative, and antioxidant enhancer. This additive has the following chemical formula: KH2PO4, it is highly soluble in water and has the appearance of a granular white powder.
Phosphoric acid, interacting with potassium carbonate, forms potassium phosphate, the formula of which is K3PO4. It is used as a component of detergents, additives in bakery and confectionery products, soft drinks and dairy products, as well as soups, pastes and sauces, teas, cheese, meat and fish products, instant products. In addition, it is used as a stabilizer for the green color of vegetables, since it maintains the acidity of a neutral environment. In medicine, K3PO4 is used for the prevention and treatment of diseases such as hypophosphatemia, and in industrial production as an additive to paints, corrosion inhibitors and various drilling fluids.
It should be noted that potassium phosphate, which is part of the powders, leads to an increase in the toxic properties of surfactants. They begin to penetrate more intensively into the human body through the skin, contribute to its degreasing, destroy cell membranes, thereby reducing the protective function of the skin. Surfactants, penetrating into the vessels located in the skin, enter the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body, which contributes to the violation of the properties of the blood and the immune system.
Thus, today potassium phosphate is used as phosphate fertilizer, as one of the components of liquid and powder detergents, during drilling operations. It is also used in the cement and textile industries, the latter in the preparation of threads for dyeing or bleaching, in the food industry for loosening dough, in medicine for the preparation of medicines, toothpastes or powders. Potassium phosphate crystals are used as ferroelectrics or piezoelectric materials, pesticides, oil additives, etc.
However, it is worth remembering that phosphates adversely affect the human body, causing disruptions in its work, if a person is exposed to them for a long time. That is why many countries have abandoned the use of phosphates in the food and household industries. In our country, their use is permitted, therefore, very often on the labels of various products or household products you can find the designation E340, that is, potassium phosphate.