Bakery Products

• Bakery products leavened with chemical compounds and raised with yeast are often preserved with sorbic acid. When sorbic acid is used in products raised with yeast, the sorbates extend the shelf life of the bakery products without having any harmful or unpleasant effects on the yeast fermentation.
  
  

Cheese

• Sorbic acid is used with cheese in the form of a potassium sorbate solution. The solution is either sprayed onto natural cheese or the natural cheese is dipped into the potassium sorbate solution. For processed cheese, the sorbate solution is added directly to the food and, with cottage cheese, sorbic acid is used in the cheese's cream dressing before the cottage cheese is pasteurized.
  
  

Fruits and Vegetables

• Sorbic acid is used in various fruits and vegetables, including cherries, olives, pickles, figs, prunes and relishes. The sorbic acid acts as a fungistat and prevents fungi within the fruits and vegetables from growing, but does not actually kill the fungi. When used in coleslaw and salads, such as potato salad, tuna salad and other prepared salads containing fruits and vegetables, the shelf life of the product is extended.
  
  

Meat and Poultry

• When fresh poultry is dipped into potassium sorbate, the amount of sustainable bacteria within the food is reduced. The shelf life of the fresh poultry is doubled, as long as the product is kept refrigerated. The progression of mold growth is inhibited on country-cured hams when sprayed with a sorbic acid solution. Fish products are also dipped into a solution of sorbic acid to extend shelf life and reduce yeast and mold growth within the product.