Food colorant of carotenoid

The carotenoids, particularly their nature-identical synthetic counter parts, beta-app-8’-carotenal,beta-carotene ash canthaxanthin, are popular food colorants.

The carotenoids add yellow, red and orange pigmentation to foods. Beta-carotene and beta-apo-8’-carotenal have vitamin activity but canthaxanthin does not.

Federal regulations permit addition of beta-carotene to foods at any concentration but specify maximum limits for beta-app-8’ carotenal (1.5 mg/lb or pinto food).

Beta-carotene is used to colour margarine, shortening, butter, cheese, baked goods, confections, ice cream, egg nog, macaroni products, soups, juices, and beverages.

Beta-apo-8’-carotenal may be used to colour juices, fruit drink, soups, jams, jellies, gelatine, processed cheese, margarine, sale dressing and fats and oils.
Carotenoid as food colorant

The use of sodium benzoate to inhibit bacterial growth

Sodium benzoate is one of the most commonly used preservatives. It is used to inhibit mold and bacterial growth in some fruit juices, oleomargarines, pickles, and condiments.

Sodium benzoate remain important in the preservation of mayonnaise and mayonnaise-containing delicatessen products, which-as oil-water emulsions, are more susceptible to microbial attack than emulsion of the water-in-oil type.

Sodium benzoate is usually employed in combination with potassium sorbate, this mixture having a better effect against acid producing bacteria than the two components individually.

It is the first chemical preservatives approved by the Food and Drug administration (FDA) for use in foods, is characterized by low cost, lack of color and relatively low toxicity.

Sodium benzoate is an important benzoic acid derivative produced industrially by neutralization of benzoic acid using hydroxide or sodium bicarbonate solution.

Although benzoic acid is a better antimicrobial agent than its salts, sodium benzoate is about 200 times more soluble in water, making it the preferable form for preservation. Researchers found that benzoate decreased the intracellular pH of E. coli.

Sodium benzoate, molar mass 144.11, white crystalline powder with water solubility at room temperature of 63 g/100 g. It requires a pH less than 4.5 to be effective and work better as the pH decreases.
The use of sodium benzoate to inhibit bacterial growth

Vinegar as food additive

Vinegar of acetic acid is a colorless, waterlike liquid that has a piercingly sharp, vinegary odor and a burning taste.

In United States vinegar and acetic acid are generally recognized as safe for use in foods and are classified as GRAS under the Federal Regulations.

Some countries outside specially exclude vinegar from the categories of food additives and preservatives and it is considered to be a food ingredient.

Vinegar, its dilute aqueous solution, has been used since the earliest recorded human history. Vinegar made from palm wine was known in the East as long as 5000 BC.

Vinegars are produced from cider, grapes, sucrose, glucose or malt by successive alcoholic and acetous fermentation.

Nowadays acetic acid continues to occupy a firm place in food preservation and in some countries synthetic acetic acid has acquired considerable importance alongside vinegar produced by fermentation. Vinegar is used as an acidifier, flavor enhancer, boiler water additive, flavoring agent, pH control agent, pickling agent, solvent and for its antimicrobial properties.
Vinegar as food additive

Furcellaran

Formerly known as Danish agar, furcellaran is an extracted produced from red sea weed (algae Furcellaria fastigiata) found along many coasts of the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean.

It is found mostly in Danish waters and was not commercially produced until World War II, when the shortage of Japanese agar made it necessary to find substitutes.

Furcellaran is composed if D-galactose (46-53%), 3,6-anhydro-D-galactose (30-33%) and sulfated portions of both sugars (16-20%). The molecular weight of furcellaran is believed to be in the range of 20,000 – 80,000.

Furcellaran is easily dispersed in cold water to a homogenous suspension without lumps.

Gelling properties are intermediate to agar and carrageenan. Furcellaran, with milk, provides good gels and therefore it is sued as an additive in puddings.

Furcellaran is produced in food grade only, complying with existing food and drug standards. More than 90% of furcellaran production is used in food products, with the remainder employed by the pharmaceuticals industry.

It is suitable for cake fillings and icings. In the presence of sucrose, it gels rapidly and retains food stability, even against food grade acids.

Other uses are in jams, jellies, marmalade, dietetic products, bakers jellies and in meat and fish preservation.

Furcellaran facilitates protein precipitation during brewing of beer and thus improves the final clarification of the beer.
Furcellaran

Gum karaya

It is the dried exudate from the tree, Sterculia urens, tall bushy tree, native to India, where it grows in forests of the eastern and central mountains.  

Chemically, karaya is a complex, particular acetylated polysaccharide with an extremely high molecular weight, consisting of L-rhamnose, D-galactose, and D-galacturonic acid.

Food grade gum is usually a white to pinkish-gray powder. The gum has a high acetyl content and has a tendency of splitting off free acetic acid on aging, the rate of splitting depending on temperature, humidity and particle size.

Gum karaya absorbs water to form viscous colloidal sols. The particle size of the powder determines the types of dispersion.

Gum karaya is the least soluble gum exudate; it is used in foods as a thickening and suspending agent and as a stabilizer in salad dressing, ice cream, sherbets and frozen desserts, in which prevents the formation of large ice crystals.

Gum karaya is also used in cheese spread, sausages, and bakery products sometimes in combination with carrageenan.

Other usages of gum karaya are:
*protective colloid: stabilizer, viscosity control agent, thickener, emulsifier in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals;
*Thickener for textile dyes
*Binder for pulp in the preparation of long fibered, lightweight papers
*Textile coating, denture adhesive, binder in paper manufacturing
*Pharmaceutical (tablet excipient, bulk laxative)
*Substitute for gum tragacanth
Gum karaya

Xanthan gum in food

Xanthan gum is widely used in food applications, but it also extensively used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and other technical application.

Following its approval as a food additive, xanthan gum found man uses in the food industry, since at low concentrations it provides storage stability, water-binding capacity and esthetic appeal.

Xanthan gum is an anionic branched polyelectrolyte. The backbone consists of α (1-4) D-glucopyranose glucan.

The unique physical and physiological properties of xanthan gum make it one of the most versatile hydrocolloids for use in a host of food.

These properties result in products with longer shelf life, improved flow, consistently, viscosity, better texture and a pleasing appearance.

It is used as a stabilizer for dressings. Ideally the product has high yield value and strong pseudoplasticity.

In syrup and toppings, the rheological properties of xanthan gum provide ease of pouring and excellent cling.

The uniform viscosity of xanthan from 5 to 70° also helps yield a uniform texture and good stability. Xanthan gum can be used to control the rheological properties of mayonnaise.

In chocolate syrups, the cocoa powder remains uniformly suspended, eliminating settling and ensuring consistency.

The xanthan gum also used in sauces, relishes, canned soups and dairy product. Its heat stability and excellent stabilizing and suspension properties are important in canned foods. Typically, xanthan gum is used in fruit juices to help to suspend the fruit particles, to prevent oil ringing and to provide good viscosity without masking the natural flavor of the fruit.

In gravy or sauces, xanthan gum binds the water so strongly that it helps to delay the formation of a surface skin.
Xanthan gum in food 

The use of food addictive

Food additives play a vital role in today’s bountiful and nutritious food supply. They allow our growing urban population to enjoy a variety of safe, wholesome, tasty foods year round.

Food additives can be used to:
*Improve the taste or appearance of processed food.

*To improve or maintain nutritional value.

*Improve the keeping quality or stability of a food. It is done by adding vitamins and minerals to common foods such as milk, flour, cereal and margarine.

*Enhance flavor or impart desired color.

*Preserve food when this is the most practical way of extending its storage life. It will keep the food appetizing and wholesome. Food addictives retard product spoilage caused by mold, air, bacteria, fungi or yeast.

*To maintain product consistency. Emulsifiers give products such as peanut butter a consistent texture and prevent them from separating. Stabilizers and thickeners give ice cream a smooth, uniform texture.

Use of food additive whether an intentional or incidental one should not be permitted until its safety under conation of the proposed use has been established beyond reasonable doubt as judged by competent experts.  
The use of food addictive