COLORIMETRIC

Calcium propionate is used as a preservative in baked food as a mould inhibitor. In this work, the quantitative analysis of calcium propionate content of five cornflakes was sampled. A simple, cost effective, robust and reproducible quantitative method which is based on complexation reaction between calcium propionate and ferric ammonium sulphate was utilized to quantify the amount of calcium propionate in cornflakes samples. A colour complex formation was formed between ferric cations and propionate anions which give a red-brown soluble complex, the complex was allowed to react for 30 mins and viewed at wavelength of maximum absorbance (600nm) subsequently, Absorbance obtained was plotted against concentration (Standard calibration curve). Five different cornflakes were selected, the method above was used to assay calcium propionate in them. The amount of calcium propionate present in each of the cornflakes sample was extrapolated from the graph to obtain the concentration of
calcium propionate in the cornflake sampled. The results showed that four out of the five cornflakes samples experimented
contained an amount of calcium propionate above the maximum limit of 2000mg/kg recommended by USFDA. The health implication of exceeding the daily recommended amount of calcium propionate consumption in cornflakes by consumers was exposed. Accordingly, recommendations were made on how all these could be ameliorated to improve on the health of cornflakes consumers in Nigeria.