ABSTRACT
The element phosphorus is essential to life. It is present in every organism, whether it is a single-celled or a multi-celled organism. It is essential to the functions that give life and allow life to continue. Phosphorus is absorbed into all living organisms mainly in the form of the phosphate ion. Phosphate is a natural constituent of almost every type of food that we eat. It is impossible to eat any food derived from a once-living organism without obtaining phosphate. The plant will drain phosphorus in the form of phosphate from the older, mature leaves into the new, growing tissues to make optimum use of the available phosphate. The orthophosphates and polyphosphates serve many useful functions as additives in food applications. Among these are functions in ion-exchange reactions, as buffers, in interactions with other polyelectrolytes, as sequestrants of unwanted metal ions, and in microbiological inhibition.
