Dimethyl Dicarbonate, DMDC (E242)
DMDC is manufactured in Germany and sold under the trade name
Velcorin. It is not a preservative in the traditional sense rather
it is termed a 'cold sterilant'. This is because it is injected
into the product stream immediately prior to the filler, where it
then kills any organisms which may be present in the sealed
container. It is mainly used in ready to drink products e.g. fruit
drinks and sport drinks.
An advantage of using DMDC is that it hydrolyses when in contact
with water and so it is not present when the consumer opens the
container. However, in the UK, FSA and LACORS advise
that it is nevertheless included in the ingredients list on the
label.