Thickeners, stabilizers and gelling agents as food ingredient

One of the major food ingredients are that significantly controls the textural properties of foods is that of thickeners, stabilizers and gelling agents. They are the basic texturizing additives used in fruit processing.

The molecules used as thickeners, stabilizers and gelling agents are macromolecules which, when dissolved or dispersed in aqueous media are capable of causing an increase in the viscosity or gel formation.

Most commercial thickeners are polysaccharides, and it is the expanded nature of these high-molecular-weight molecules in solutions that gives rise to their thickening properties, even when used at relatively low concentrations.

Thickeners and stabilizers may be divided into main classes: polysaccharides and protein.

Polysaccharides comprise three main subclasses:
*Non-ionic - example: hydroxyethylcellulose and dextran
*Anionic - example: xanthan, carrageenan, guar gum, alginate and carboxymethylcellulose
*Cationic - such as: arginine hydrochloride and chitosan

Xanthan gum is a result of the fermentation of sugars by the bacteria Xanthamonas campestris. It’s also used as thickeners, stabilizers and gelling agents in the preparation of sauces, salad dressing and dairy products.

Pectin is mainly used as thickeners, stabilizers and gelling agents in jams, jellies and other products. They are found in fruits and vegetables and they help to hold the plant cells together.

Structurally, they are long-chain polymers of α -D-galactorunic acid, which is under appropriate condition they form gels.
Thickeners, stabilizers and gelling agents as food ingredient

Gum Arabic

Gum Arabic
Gum arabic or acacia gum is a plant exudates hydrocolloid isolated from certain species of the acacia tree. Its chemical makeup is based on a number of different neutral and acid sugar components arranged in a highly branched structure.

Although gum Arabic has a relatively high molecular weight, its viscosity profile is extremely low in comparison to other hydrocolloids. This is due to its highly branched structure which limits effective hydrate volume. Highly concentrated solutions of gum Arabic (up to 50%) can be used in confections.

Arabic gum functions in confections as an emulsifiers, sugar crystallization control agent, bulking agent, and film former. In caramels and toffee products, gum arabic’s emulsification properties aid in the reduction of fat droplet size distribution and provide stability to the product. Hard gum, pastille, cough drop formula often use arabic gums at high concentration to provide bulk and contribute to an extremely firm texture in the finished products. Arabic gum’s film forming capacity is used in the coating of almond confections and other hard panned sugar confectionary.
Gum Arabic