What is "dehydroacetic acid"

n. (context organic compound English) A pyrone derivative used as a fungicide, bactericide, and preservative.

Dehydroacetic acid is an organic compound. The compound is classified as a pyrone derivative and is used mostly as a fungicide and bactericide. The sodium salt, sodium dehydroacetate, is often used in place of dehydroacetic acid because of its greater solubility in water. It is prepared by the base-catalysed dimerization of diketene.