Question

Which one of the following is a food preservative?
Equanil, Morphine, Sodium benzoate.

Answer 1

Equanil treats anxiety. Morphine relieves chronic pain. Sodium benzoate has an aromatic ring that can stabilize the free radical.

Complete step by step answer:
Equanil is a tranquilizer that is used to treat anxiety, disturbance of mind, tension and fear, etc. So, Equanil is not a food preservative.
Morphine is a narcotic analgesic drug used to relieve chronic pain. Morphine is not a food preservative.
Sodium benzoate is an antioxidant. As the name indicates antioxidant works anti means against oxidation thus stop the oxidation of food. Sodium benzoate is an antioxidant that stops rancidification. It is added to fat-containing foods. Sodium benzoate has an aromatic ring that can stabilize the free radical which causes the oxidation of food. So, option (A) is correct.
The deterioration of food is known as rancidity. The main cause of rancidity is oxidation and hydrolysis.
The opened food is oxidized or hydrolysed by several factors such as air that is known as aerial oxidation, by moisture, bacteria, and light. These factors generate active free radical and oxygen precursors.
These factors cause the oxidation of lipids, fats, and oils. The change in the structure of lipids, facts, and oil deteriorate the food.
The chemical change has shown in form of some physical change mainly as undesired odor and taste or in colour.

Note: The use of antioxidants such as sodium benzoate, antioxidants stops the oxidation of food. Rancidity also decreases the nutritional value of food such as it destroys the many vitamins of food. Equanil and tranquilizer both are drugs.