Preservatives

Some people call us and ask why we use preservatives. The answer is product safety, of course, but also to insure full flavor of the product when you enjoy it.

Our products use combinations of several preservatives in a "system" that allows us to minimize their amount while getting excellent product safety and consistency:

Phosphoric Acid - An ingredient used in many products to insure bacteria don't grow. Since Chachies Salsas are uncooked we need to make sure the pH level (i.e. acidity) is in a tight range to keep bacteria from finding a home. Phosphoric acid is commonly used in soft drinks and many other popular products. It is an alternative to citric acid, but adds less flavor of its own.

Potassium Sorbate - This controls yeast and mold, which are naturally found in fresh vegetables and can contribute to that "filmy" look you sometimes see on things you prepare at home and store as "leftovers". In Chachies' case, cilantro and our other fresh ingredients carry yeast and mold as they grow in the field, which potassium sorbate helps keep under control.

Sodium Benzoate - Sodium Benzoate is the most widely used preservative in the world. It works together with potassium sorbate to control the yeasts and molds nature leaves on field-fresh produce. It's found in soft drinks, wine coolers, mouthwash, toothpaste and margarine, just to name a few.

Sodium Bisulfite - Sulfites are used to preserve the color and freshness of fruits (like tomatoes, our main ingrediant). We use a very tiny amount. Sulfites are commonly found in wine, dried fruits and sun-dried tomatoes.

Calcium Chloride - An ingredient found in many vegetable and fruit products to maintain the “crunch” and texture of the product. We use it to retain the “crunch” of our salsa, since fresh tomatoes have a natural tendency to get mushy too quickly for a quality product.

Xanthan Gum - This is an additive that maintains the chunkiness of the salsa. We add the tiniest amount... just enough to keep the natural juice of the tomatoes from becoming too runny for your enjoyment. In our consumer research, the #1 “complaint” about (all) fresh salsas is the liquid that comes to the top of the container. In some brands, this is added water (NOT in Chachies). In our case, it's all natural juice from the tomatoes we put in each cup.



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© 2005 Chachies Foods, Inc. A California Creative Foods Company.
649 Benet Road, Oceanside, CA 92054

Comments: (800) 748-5523 or info@chachies.com