Which of the following is used as a food preservative?
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This SSC CGL Chemistry question asks: “Which of the following is used as a food preservative?” The correct answer is Benzoic acid. Sodium benzoate (salt of benzoic acid) is commonly used as food preservative to prevent microbial growth. Acid basicity refers to the number of ionisable protons, not simply the number of hydrogen atoms written in a formula. Option B (“Acetic acid”) is incorrect because it does not satisfy the chemical formula, reaction, periodic trend, numerical relation, oxidation state or definition required by the question. Option C (“Tartaric acid”) is incorrect because it does not satisfy the chemical formula, reaction, periodic trend, numerical relation, oxidation state or definition required by the question.