Food stabilizers have a dual function: they aid in food preservation and enhance the appeal of products to consumers.
In the realm of ice cream production, stabilizers are utilized to prevent the formation of undesirable large ice crystals. By possessing a high water-holding capacity, stabilizers effectively inhibit ice crystal formation during storage. Furthermore, they promote uniformity in the product, provide the desired resistance to melting, and enhance handling properties.
Stabilizers have an indirect impact on flavor, mainly by increasing viscosity without affecting the freezing point and typically reducing whipping ability. Commonly used stabilizers in ice cream formulations include gelatin, guar gum, locust gum, alginate, carrageenan, pectin, CMC, and crystalline microcellulose.
Sodium pyrophosphate serves as an example of a stabilizer employed in foods like instant pudding or canned fish. In these specific products, this stabilizer effectively prevents the formation of sludge-like sediment at the bottom of the container.
Stabilizers can synergistically work with emulsifiers, enabling food ingredients that would otherwise struggle to mix well to form a homogeneous dispersion. As a result of this cooperative action, the stability and viscosity of the food product are enhanced by binding its larger molecules.
Stabilizers in Food Production
