Paper No.

13 – FOOD ADDITIVES

Module 10 - Role played by Hydrocolloids in the Food Industry

Functions of hydrocolloids

Food hydrocolloids or food gums are added to food systems for numerous reasons, mainly to
modify the texture, increase the stability, or reduce the fat or calories of a product. Specifically,
food hydrocolloids are used to thicken, gel, film-forming, foaming, control syneresis, prevent
crystal (ice, sugar) growth, stabilize an emulsion or suspension, improve bake-stability, improve
freeze-thaw stability, function as a coating (encapsulation), and bind water.

Hydrocolloids have also been used to reduce product cost. In many applications, hydrocolloids
are simply selected to replace costly ingredients like protein or fat. The function of gums having
significance in food product formulations is depicted in Table 1.

Table 1. Functions of gums in processed food product formulations

Function of gum Examples
Thickening Canned goods, gravies, sauces, soups, dressings, low
calorie foods and beverages
Suspending Salad dressings, fruit juice drinks, chocolate milk,
Instant viscosity dry mix beverages
Gelling Jams, jellies, preserves, dessert gels
Calorie control agent/bodying agent Dietetic foods, Low-fat foods
Emulsion stabilization Salad dressings, cream sauces
Protein stabilization Yogurt drinks, low pH milk beverages, chocolate milk
Crystallization inhibition Ice cream, confectionary
Water binding Baked goods, icings, and candy
Protective colloid Flavour emulsions
Stabilization Flavour emulsions
Film forming/fat holdout French fries, batter and breaded foods
Syneresis inhibitor Control sauces, low calorie preserves, pie filling,
desserts (yoghurt/dahi), soft cheeses
Whipping agent Neufchatel cheese
Gelling agent Quarg, Jam, Jelly, Marmalade
 A. Gelatin

Gelatin exhibits a wide range of functional properties. It can be used as a gelling agent in jellied
confectionery. Gelatin gels melt at relatively low temperature (melt-in-mouth), and they are
slow-setting; all these features make gelatin the preferred gelling agent in yoghurt products, low-
fat spreads and sugar confectionery. Marshmallow, an aerated gelled confectionery, uses gelatin
as gelling agent for its elasticity and clarity; clarity of gelatin is the main reason for its use in
table jellies. Gelatin has been used in flavoured gelled milk desserts, either alone or in
combination with carrageenan, and also in dessert creams where it contributes to a smooth gel
texture. Gelatin is widely used in confectionery, meat, dairy and dessert puddings.

B. Galactomannans

The two main galactomannans include Guar gum and Locust bean gum.

(i) Guar gum: It is the least expensive stabilizer and effectively decreases the undesirable
effects of heat shock in ice cream. It readily disperses and does not cause excessive viscosity
in the mix. Generally, 0.1–0.2% is required in ice cream mix. Guar gum is used as a
stabilizer at a concentration of 0.30 % in ice pops and sherbet too. It improves the body,
texture, chewiness, and heat-shock resistance by binding free water. Guar gum is used in
‘Cold-pack cheese’ at a concentration of 0.25-0.35% in order to prevent syneresis and
weeping. In soft cheeses, it is added to increase the yield of curd and to contribute to the
texture of curd.

Guar gum is added to pie fillings to thicken and prevent shrinking and cracking of the filling.
In icing, guar gum is added to absorb free water, which prevents stickiness and prevents the
product from adhering to the packaging material. In meat and gravy sauces, guar gum
permits reduction of the total solids in the product. As a thickener, it is sometimes added to
salad dressings, pickle and relish sauces. Guar gum can also be used in dietetic beverages or
low carbohydrate products due to its suspending ability and to improve body of thin and
watery products.
(ii) Locust bean gum (LBG): LBG acts as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and a fat replacer in
various food systems. It is an excellent stabilizer for ice cream, due to its ability to bind free
water and high swelling potential. It also has good heat-shock resistance and provides good
body to the ice cream product. The LBG stabilizer is used at 0.1–0.2 % levels but may cause
phase separation in ice cream mixes. Application of LBG in processed meats, such as salami,
bologna, and sausages acts as a binding and stabilizing agent, provides lubricating effect on
the meat mixture and eases the extruding and filling operation. It is added to soup at levels of
about 0.2 % as a thickener. It is added as a thickener to pie fillings, it also serves to produce a
clear filling. When added to dough, it provides more uniformity with increased water-holding
capacity, greater resilience and higher yield. LBG can be added to cake and biscuit dough, in
order to give higher yields as well as to decrease the quantum of eggs. It allows the cake and
biscuit to be kept softer, maintains their freshness, and retains their shape during processing.
LBG has application in soup bases, sauces, frozen batter, vegetable, fish dishes, whipping
cream, mayonnaise, ketchup and salad dressings as a stabilizer. LBG is also capable of self-
associating upon freeze-thaw cycles. Few limitations of LBG being not cold water soluble,
needing heat to be applied in order to fully hydrate the gum. Moreover, LBG tends to
produce a cloudy, off-white and opaque solution.

In ice cream, LBG creates a uniform, medium, and reproducible viscosity that is not destroyed
by agitation. It cools uniformly and allows easy incorporation of air into the mix. It provides
superior heat-shock resistance. It forms a cryo-gel, which can be effective in cryo-protection.
C. Carrageenans

Carrageenan has been widely used in ice cream, chocolate milk, jellies, sauces and dessert gels.
It is used in many stabilizer blends at levels of 0.01–0.02 % to prevent phase separation
(wheying off) through its interaction with milk protein. The original use of carrageenan was in
milk gels, such as flans and custards. The carrageenan imparts a creamy mouth feel and reduces
syneresis. It is used in products such as puddings and pie fillings. The most common use for
carrageenan gum in dairy products is in ice cream or ice milk. It is added to control ice
crystallization as well as whey separation. Carrageenan is also used in chocolate, eggnog, and
fruit flavored pasteurized milks. The carrageenan can suspend particles, such as cocoa, as well as
providing a rich mouth feel. Carrageenan is helpful in creamed cottage cheese where it enables
the creamy mixture surrounding the curds to be stable and have cling on to the cottage cheese
curd. Carrageenan gum has been used in processed cheese to contribute good mouth feel,
grating, melting and slicing properties. In evaporated milk it is added to prevent fat separation.
Carrageenan is added to whipped cream and yogurt to stabilize and suspend.

Dairy manufacturers have long used carrageenan for suspension and mouth feel characteristics in
beverages like chocolate milk, and dairy-alternative products such as soy milk. Formulations
made with carrageenan effectively maintain insoluble ingredients in suspension due to the
formation of a gel network, while simultaneously improving mouth coating. Carrageenan help in
maintaining freeze/thaw stability and proper eating characteristics in reduced-fat/reduced-sugar
ice cream. Manufacturers of pudding and gelled desserts depend on carrageenan to provide
gelation, syneresis control and positive sensory attributes in their end applications. Meal-
replacement and nutritional beverages benefit from the viscosity, quick hydrating and mouth feel
characteristics provided by carrageenan.

Gelling and water-holding capacity of carrageenan has been beneficial for meat products.
Carrageenans, when used in combination with other emulsifying salts, provide increased yields
while providing structural integrity to formed meat products. Carrageenans have been used in
myriad of end applications, including baked goods, processed cheeses, pasteurized whole egg
products, dairy-based salad dressings, gelatin-replacement applications, batters, confections.

D. Gum arabic

Gum arabic is widely used in the food industry mainly to impart desirable qualities because of its
influence on viscosity, body and texture. Mainly it is used as an emulsifier in beverage
emulsions.
E. Agar

The food applications of agar are bakery products, confectionery, desserts and confections, meat,
fish and poultry products, dairy products, ice cream, peanut butter and beverages. Agar is used in
baked goods where it is superior to carrageenan and far superior to gelatin. Agar is widely used
as a gelling agent in jelly confections including traditional Japanese food items and confections
like Yokan, Mitsumame, Tokoroten, etc. Agar is used at levels of 0.5–2.0% to gel canned meat,
fish and poultry products.

F. Xanthan gum

Xanthan gum (XG) contributes to smoothness, air incorporation and retention for batters of
cakes, muffins, biscuits, and bread mixes. It also adds volume and moisture, which leads to
higher crumb strength with less crumbling. XG can be added to cold or hot processed bakery and
fruit pie fillings in which it will improve texture and flavor release. In prepared batters, XG acts
as a suspension agent and improves gas retention. Shrimp, chicken, fish, and onion rings can use
XG in their batter formulations in order to obtain consistent adhesion and stabilization. XG can
be added to dry mixes for milk shakes, sauces, gravies, dips, soups, and beverages. It can be
added to frozen products like whipped toppings, batters, soufflés, gravies, and entrees where they
provide stability, syneresis control and consistent viscosity when exposed to freeze-thaw cycles.
XG also finds application in retorted products, due to the stability over a wide range of
temperatures. XG allows syrups and toppings to have excellent pouring and cling properties as
well as good stability and uniform suspension of ingredients. In general terms, XG thins under
shear in the mouth, facilitating flavor release.

G. Alginates

The main advantage of alginate as a gel former is its ability to form heat-stable gels which can
set at room temperature. One of its limitations in its application in ice cream industry is its
requirement to be added to mix at temperature of about 57-62oC temperature. Increasing the
aging period when using alginate does not adversely affect the body of ice cream through undue
increase in the viscosity of product.

H. Gellan gum

Rapid setting behaviour, low use level, sparkling clarity of the gel and good flavour release are
some of the attributes that make gellan gum as a preferred gelling agent for food products. It is
used in bakery fillings as partial starch replacement to increase flavour release, in water based
dessert gels because of its good clarity and adequate thermal stability. It can also be combined
with XG or LBG to produce ready-to-eat (RTE) dessert gels. Gellan gum also acts as a very good
stabilizer in reconstituted vegetable juice.

I. Cellulose products

(i) Micro Crystalline Cellulose (MCC): MCC exhibit a variety of desirable characteristics
including suspension of solids, heat stability, ice crystal control, emulsion stabilization, foam
stability, texture modification and fat replacement. MCC has effective application in foam
stabilization and overrun control. The addition MCC at levels of ≥ 0.4% to ice cream mix results
in the formation of a gel, which preserves the original texture of frozen dessert products during
storage and distribution by increasing their resistance to heat shock and by maintaining the three-
phase system of air–fat–water in these products. MCC also allows for reduction of fat and solids
content by 2.0 to 4.0% with minimal loss of texture. Like carrageenan, cellulose gel has the
capability to prevent whey separation in mixes, thereby countering the destabilizing effects of
some soluble gums.

(ii) Methyl cellulose (MC) and Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) are mostly used for
binding and shape retention in fish cakes, shaped soya protein and in reformed vegetable
products like onion rings, potato croquettes.

(iii) Sodium Carboxyl Methyl Cellulose (CMC) forms weak gels by itself but gels well in
combination with carrageenan, LBG, or guar gum. It is a strong stabilizer and only 0.1–0.2% is
needed in a mix. It imparts body and chewiness to ice cream.

J. Pectins

Commercial pectin finds most applications in jams and jellies. Pectins, especially high methoxyl
pectin (HMP) require more than 55.0 % sugar solids for gelling. Pectins are the most preferred
gelling agents for acidic fruit gels because of being acid stable. To overcome the limitation of
HMP, low-methoxyl pectins (LMP) (both commercial and amidated types) are used in the
preparation of reduced sugar jams and jellies. LMP are also used for the production of glazes in
bakery industries. Other applications of pectin include desserts, both water gels and milk based
gels. Milk and milk products can easily be gelled with LMP because they contain calcium; milk
desserts and gelled or thickened milk products like yoghurts can be prepared.
 K. Starches

Starch is one of the most commonly utilized ingredients for improving freeze/thaw stability.
With products able to hold upwards of 20 times their weight in water, starches provide cost-
effective options for managing moisture while offering opportunities to enhance or modify
texture. When considering native starches, the highly branched amylopectin in waxy maize
makes it a better choice for freeze/thaw stability than corn, potato and tapioca, which are
predominantly straight-chain amylose. The branching helps hinder retrogradation, the
reassociation of starch chains that leads to syneresis. A starch’s freeze/thaw stability can be
improved by substitution, creating crosslinks through acetylation or hydroxypropylation. The
latter is better for freeze/thaw stability as hydroxypropyl groups can be added at higher levels,
creating more branching and more resistance to reassociation. Hydroxypropylation also creates a
more open structure that increases viscosity.

The comparison of few properties of some hydrocolloids is furnished in Table 2.

Table 2. Comparative appraisal of some properties of hydrocolloids

Hydrocolloid Solubility Solution pH range Acid stability

clarity
Alginate Cold/hot soluble in calcium Good 4.5-7.0 Fair (forms
free environment; need alginic acid at
sequesterant in high calcium low pH)
media
Carrageenan ί & κ hot (> 60oC) soluble; Good 4.5-7.0 Poor
λ cold soluble
CMC Cold or hot soluble Excellent 3.5-7.0 Good
MC, HPMC Cold soluble Excellent 4.0-7.0 Good
Gellan gum Hot soluble in ion free Good to 3.0-7.0 Good
medium; sequesterant Poor
needed in ion medium
Guar gum Cold or hot soluble Fair 4.0-7.0 Fair
Gum arabic Cold or hot soluble Excellent 2.0-7.0 Good
LBG Hot (> 80oC) soluble Fair 4.0-7.0 Good
Xanthan gum Cold or hot soluble Fair 2.0-7.0 Very good
Pectin Hot (> 60oC) soluble Excellent 2.0-7.0 Very good

Utilizing a blend of stabilizers

Each stabilizer has its own characteristics, and to gain synergism in function and improve their
overall effectiveness, individual stabilizers are usually mixed. For example, owing to higher
solubility of GG compared to LBG at cold temperatures, GG is popularly used in HTST
pasteurization systems. Carrageenan is a secondary hydrocolloid used to prevent phase
separation of a mix and generally improves protein stability in the presence of such negative
influences as shear, low pH and change in salt balance. Hence, it is included in most blended
stabilizer formulations. Multiple stabilizer ingredients are also used to reduce the overall cost of
the stabilizer system.

Although XG is not a gelling agent, it can form elastic, thermo-reversible gels when combined
with LBG. High viscosities are achieved when combined with galactomannans such a LBG and
GG. XG possesses a synergistic interaction with konjac glucomannan during gel formation.
Their synergism (Konjac:Xanthan, 70:30 w/w) produces thermo-reversible physical gels at
neutral pH. LBG has synergistic relationships with XG, carrageenan, and agarose.

Application of hydrocolloids in food industry

Hydrocolloids play a significant role in improving the quality (appearance, body and texture,
storage stability) of nearly all food products; it has more profound usage in dairy products. The
application of hydrocolloids in ‘dairy’ and ‘food products’ are collated in Table 3 and Table 4
respectively.

In bakery, hydrocolloids add volume and softness as well as extend the shelf life. Further more,
hydrocolloids can improve flexibility and rollability of flat breads and improve texture and bake
stability of baker’s custard. In the baked goods, hydrocolloids have been used for retarding the
staling and for improving the quality of the fresh products. They help to minimize the negative
effects of the freezing and frozen storage. An improvement in wheat dough stability during
proofing can be obtained by the addition of sodium alginate, κ-carrageenan and XG. CMC,
hydroxyl-propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and alginate can be added as anti-staling agents that
retarded crumb firming.
GG and XG, for instance, have been used at 7 % and 2 % levels, respectively, in bread to provide
dietary fiber for therapeutic purposes. At a lower level of incorporation, hydrocolloids have
served as additives to improve the quality of baked goods.

Hydrocolloids when used in small quantities (< 1% w/w in flour) are expected to increase water
retention and loaf volume and to decrease firmness and starch retro-gradation. The highly
hydrophilic nature of hydrocolloids also helps to prevent the growth of ice crystals during frozen
storage of products, and the migration of water from the substrate to the coating, which improves
the freeze/thaw stability. The presence of hydrocolloids influences melting, gelatinization,
fragmentation, and retrogradation of starch. These effects were shown to affect pasting
properties, dough rheological behavior bread staling. The hydrocolloids provide an unctuous
body to fat-reduced product in which compensates for the low fat content with their water-
binding ability and texturizing properties. These compounds have been used as gluten substitutes
in the formulation of gluten–free breads due to their polymeric structure.

An improvement in wheat dough stability during proofing can be obtained by the addition of
hydrocolloids, namely sodium alginate, k-carrageenan, XG and HPMC. GG and LBG have been
used for improving the fresh bread quality. Use of mixture of LGB, XG and alginate led to a
softening effect, due to the high water retention capacity of locust bean gum, or for hindering the
gluten-starch interactions in the case of XG and alginate.

In beverages, hydrocolloids can ensure excellent suspension of particles, increase viscosity,

giving exceptional mouth feel, improve fruit pulp stabilization, prevent oil-ring formation and
enable fibre addition for natural label beverages.

In dairy products, hydrocolloids are widely applied to assist dairy ingredients (e.g. milk protein,
fat) in providing the proper functionality to the product. Hydrocolloids are added to dairy
products to create a specific texture or to improve product quality. In dairy products and low pH
protein drinks, hydrocolloids can stabilize milk and soya protein, prevent sedimentation and
whey-off and enable a wide range of textures. Furthermore, hydrocolloids can replace texture in
formulations with reduced milk solids, sugar and/or fat and thereby give the food manufacture a
better quality low-fat product. The hydrocolloids improve water binding in low-fat margarine. In
ice cream and frozen desserts, hydrocolloids give excellent melting properties as well as
improve the body and creaminess. In cultured products, hydrocolloids provide smooth texture
and shiny appearance. Hydrocolloids can optimize cost in reduced milk solid formulations as
well as maintain texture throughout shelf life. Hydrocolloids also improve body, especially at a
higher consumption temperature for cultured products.

In culinary, the hydrocolloids increase the viscosity and stability, modifies texture and improves
body and creaminess.

In meat, poultry and seafood, hydrocolloids improve cooking yield, ease handling of low-fat,
low-salt and phosphate-free products and improve texture and sliceability. The meat industry is
applying various edible gum-hydrates in meat products as meat binders, texture stabilizers and
fat substitutes. Gums are incorporated into meat products to achieve better control of their
texture, improve sliceability and increase yield. In some meat products, hydrocolloids are
responsible for the undesirable broad dark striations (called tiger stripping), running parallel to
the meat fibers. In the meat industry, carrageenan is used as a gelling agent in canned meats and
it allows reduction in fat content in comminuted meat products like frankfurter. In cooked sliced
meat products, carrageenan is used to improve moisture retention, cooking yields, slicing
properties, mouth-feel and juiciness.

In fruit preparations for fermented dairy products, hydrocolloids can control viscosity during
pumping and hot processing, secure excellent fruit suspension and distribution, maintain fruit
identity, increase stability of gel network, improve white mass viscosity and enable single
stabilizer solution.

Candies are popular products among children and adults and their versatility is visually alluring
to the consumer. The confectionery industry uses gum arabic to a great extent, for crystallization
prevention, as an aid to emulsify fat and as a glaze in candies and chewing gum. Gum arabic
serves to coat the center of sugar-coated tablets. It is the main ingredient in gumdrops (regular
and dietetic) and other chewy-type gums, where pectin or modified starches can also play a
major role. The higher the gum arabic content, the softer and chewier will be the candy.

Table 3. Application of hydrocolloids in dairy products

Dairy product Hydrocolloids Function

Ice cream and Soft serve LBG, CMC, Alginate, Guar, Pectin Provide melting resistance,
mixes improve whipping ability,
prevent ice crystal growth,
texture improvement
Milk shakes Guar, CMC, Carrageenan, Prevents serum separation,
Alginates adds viscosity, provide shear
resistance
Cream Carrageenan Prevent creaming
Chocolate milk drinks Carrageenan, CMC, MCC, LBG Prevent sedimentation of
cocoa particles
Cottage cheese, cream Carrageenan, Starch, LBG Prevent syneresis, provide
cheese body and mouthfeel
Yoghurt drinks Pectin Prevents syneresis
Aerated desserts Gelatin, Xanthan, Carrageenan, Gelation, creamy texture,
Alginate, Pectin, Guar foam stabilization
Aerosol whipped cream Carrageenan Foam firmness, prevent
syneresis
Natural cheese Exopolysaccharides Malleability, improved
moisture retention
Custard Carrageenan, Starch Lightly gelled structure,
creamy mouthfeel
Coffee whitener powder Maltodextrin Stabilizes emulsion during
spray drying
Dairy slimming and Guar, LBG, Aum arabic Satiety, source of dietary fiber
dietary products

Table 4. Functions and applications of hydrocolloids in food products

Hydrocolloid Functions Applications

Guar and LBG Stabilizer, water retention Dairy, ice creams, deserts, bakery
Carrageenan Stabilizer, thickener, gelation Ice cream, flans, meat products,
dressings, instant puddings
Agars Gelation Dairy, confectionery, meat products
Gum arabic Stabilizer, thickener, Confectionery, bakery, beverage,
emulsifier, encapsulating sauces
agent
Pectins Gelation, thickener, stabilizer
Jams, Preserves, beverages,
confectionery, dairy
Alginates Stabilizer, thickener Ice cream, instant puddings, beverages
Xanthan gum Stabilizer, thickener Dressings, beverages, dairy, bakery
Carboxy methyl Stabilizer, thickener, water Ice cream, batters, syrups, cake mixes,
cellulose retention meats
Methyl cellulose Gelation, stabilizer, water Fat reducer, bakery
retention
Modified starches Stabilizer, emulsifier Bakery, soups, confectionery