BASF to hike propionic acid prices
The Germany-headquartered supplier produces propionic acid at its Verbund sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Nanjing in China.
Propionic acid is used in food preservatives and plastics, as well as in the pharmaceutical sector and in solvents.
It is used partly directly in foods and partly in mixtures, as sodium, calcium and potassium salts.
Calcium propionate, which has an anti-mould and some antibacterial activity, finds uses in bakery products like breads and pizza bases, as well as cold pack cheese and pie fillings.
Sodium propionate is also used as an antimicrobial in a wide range of foods, including baked goods, beverages, confectionery, puddings, jams and fillings and meat products.
In pharmaceutical products, propionic acid is used for synthesising d-ethyl ketone.
