The present invention is a composition comprising a solution or a dispersion of polymer particles, a sorbate ester or sorbamide curing agent, and a cure modulating additive for the curing agent. The curing agent is a sorbic acid ester or a sorbamide and the cure modulating agent is a reagent capable of accelerating or attenuating the rate of cure of the curing agent. The control of cure kinetics is important for speeding up cure rates where rates are too slow or by reducing cure rates where curing too rapidly results in undesirable color formation.