Solid‐state NMR spectroscopic studies on the interaction of sorbic acid with phospholipid membranes at different pH levels

²H, ³¹P, and ¹H‐magic‐angle‐spinning (MAS) solid‐state NMR spectroscopic methods were used to elucidate the interaction between sorbic acid, a widely used weak acid food preservative, and 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (DMPC) bilayers under both acidic and neutral pH conditions. The linewidth broadening observed in the ³¹P NMR powder pattern spectra and the changes in the ³¹P longitudinal relaxation time (T₁) indicate interaction with the phospholipid headgroup upon titration of sorbic acid or decanoic acid into DMPC bilayers over the pH range from 3.0 to 7.4. The peak intensities of sorbic acid decrease upon addition of paramagnetic Mn²⁺ ions in DMPC bilayers as recorded in the ¹H MAS NMR spectra, suggesting that sorbic acid molecules are in close proximity with the membrane/aqueous surface. No significant ²H quadrupolar splitting (Δν_Q) changes are observed in the ²H NMR spectra of DMPC‐d₅₄ upon titration of sorbic acid, and the change of pH has a slight effect on Δν_Q, indicating that sorbic acid has weak influence on the orientation order of the DMPC acyl chains in the fluid phase over the pH range from 3.0 to 7.4. This finding is in contrast to the results of the decanoic acid/DMPC‐d₅₄ systems, where Δν_Q increases as the concentration of decanoic acid increases. Thus, in the membrane association process, sorbic acids are most likely interacting with the headgroups and shallowly embedded near the top of the phospholipid headgroups, rather than inserting deep into the acyl chains. Thus, antimicrobial mode of action for sorbic acid may be different from that of long‐chain fatty acids. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.