The World of Texture Modification

Hydrocolloids, functional proteins & starches are an important group of materials which form a useful part of the toolbox available to food technology. They cover a wide range of properties from stabilisation, gelling & thickening to emulsification.

They are ubiquitous in food products & are central to their functionality, examples of which are as follows:

• Gelling-jams, table jellies, confectionery.
• Elasticity-sheetable fondant icings
• Thermo-reversibility-cold setting heat & pour products
• Viscosity-sauces
• Suspending agents- vinaigrettes
• Aerating agents-whipped materials such as mousse, marshmallow.
• High temperature stability-bake stable fillings.
• Stabilisation-ice cream products.
• Fat mimetics-fat reduced products.

These large complex structures can act alone but can deliver some new & valuable properties when specific types are combined together so that they inter-react. This is known as synergism.

Some of these water dispersable materials can be sensitive to pH, dissolved solids & specific metal ions. When formulating, it is important to understand how specific conditions impact on functionality.

Sweet Innovation have expertise in these areas which can take your products into new areas of application.