Editing Preservative (section)

{{short description|Substance designed to prevent decomposition}}
{{Lead extra info|date=May 2021|reason=This is the only part of the article that talks about preservatives that are not related to food.}}

A '''preservative''' is a [[Chemical substance|substance]] or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, [[pharmaceutical drugs]], paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent [[decomposition]] by [[microbial]] growth or by undesirable [[Chemical reaction|chemical changes]]. In general, preservation is implemented in two modes, chemical and physical. Chemical preservation entails adding [[chemical compound]]s to the product. Physical preservation entails processes such as refrigeration or drying.<ref name=Ullmann>Erich Lück and Gert-Wolfhard von Rymon Lipinski "Foods, 3. Food Additives" in ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry'', 2002, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. {{doi| 10.1002/14356007.a11_561}}</ref> Preservative [[food additive]]s reduce the risk of [[Foodborne illness|foodborne infections]], decrease microbial spoilage, and preserve fresh attributes and nutritional quality.  Some physical techniques for [[food preservation]] include dehydration, UV-C radiation, freeze-drying, and refrigeration. Chemical preservation and physical preservation techniques are sometimes combined.