ANSWER

Potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate could be added into fat spreads as a preservative to inhibit the growth of mould and yeast. Studies showed that there was a significant inhibitory effect of potassium sorbate on free fatty acid (FFA) development. An increase of FFA in the product during storage is the consequence of the growth of yeast and mould (Patange et al., 2013; International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods Staff, 2012).

References

International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods Staff. (2012). Microorganisms in Foods: Microbial Ecology of Food Commodities (pp. 405-407). Boston, MA: Springer Science & Business Media.

Patange, D. D., Patel, A. A., Singh, R. R. B., Patil, G. R. & Bhosle, D. N. (2013). Storage related changes in ghee-based low-fat spread. Journal Food Science Technol, 50(2), 346-352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0339-7