Introduction of varieties of food coagulants

Food coagulants are a kind of substances that keep the structure of food unchanged and enhance the properties of viscous solids. Include food additives such as coagulants for solidifying protein and hardeners for preventing fresh fruits and vegetables from softening. Commonly used coagulants such as bittern or bittern tablets (magnesium chloride) are tofu coagulants traditionally used in China. Calcium chloride and calcium sulfate (gypsum) can also be used to coagulate tofu, and the amount of calcium sulfate used as tofu can be more than that of soybean milk and magnesium chloride with the same volume. In order to facilitate the mechanization and continuity of tofu production, glucono-δ-lactone can be used as the internal coagulant of machine-made tofu. It gradually releases hydrogen ions in the process of making tofu, which makes tofu slowly solidify. Calcium chloride, calcium citrate and calcium gluconate are often added to cheese to help it set. In addition, calcium chloride, calcium carbonate and calcium gluconate are commonly used in fruits and vegetables to make pectin acid form pectin calcium gel to prevent fruits and vegetables from softening.

There are 10 kinds of food coagulants specified in the relevant food standard GB 2760-201in China. The following is an introduction to this 10 substance.

Calcium sulfate: In the production of tofu, ground calcined gypsum is often used as coagulant, with the best effect. In addition, calcium sulfate can also be used as thickener, acidity regulator and flour treatment agent.

Calcium chloride: Generally, it is not used as coagulant of tofu, but can be used as coagulant of low methoxyl pectin and sodium alginate. In addition, it can also be used to make cheese, and can also be used as a hardener for assorted vegetables, tomatoes, lettuce and so on.

Magnesium chloride: Brine is generally used to make old tofu and dried tofu. Brine tofu has a unique tofu flavor.

Propylene glycol: It can be used as a humectant and softener for bread, candy, packaged meat and cheese. , can increase the elasticity of noodles, increase the flavor, whiteness and luster of tofu, and can also be used as food antifreeze.

EDTA salt: including disodium EDTA and disodium calcium EDTA. EDTA salt has the function of chelating metal ions, eliminating the harmful effects brought by metal ions, preventing discoloration, deterioration and turbidity caused by metals, preventing vitamin C from being lost due to oxidation, and improving food quality. It is a calcium nutrition enhancer.

Disodium stannous citrate: also known as 830 1 color fixative, it is white crystal, soluble in water, easy to absorb moisture and deliquesce, and easy to oxidize. It is mainly used in canned fruits and vegetables and edible fungi, which plays an anti-oxidation and color protection role.

Gluconic acid-δ-lactone: Gluconic acid-δ-lactone can be used as coagulant to make lactone tofu, as preservative to keep fish, meat, poultry and shrimp fresh, and as sour agent to be used in juice drinks and jellies. As a chelating agent, it can be used in grape juice or other berry wine, dairy products and beer to prevent tartar, milk stone and beer stone.

Cao Fu extract is prepared from dried Mesona chinensis by pulverizing, boiling, extracting, filtering, concentrating and spray drying. It is a gelatinous polysaccharide, which is contained in Cao Fu and can be used to make cakes.

Glutamine transaminase is an enzyme that catalyzes the internal (or internal) acyl transfer reaction in protein, leading to the * * valence cross-linking between protein (or polypeptide). It can catalyze the intramolecular and intermolecular crosslinking of protein polypeptide, thus improving the structure and function of protein, and negatively affecting the properties of protein, such as foaming, emulsifying, emulsifying stability and thermal stability. Can be applied to aquatic products, ham, sausage, noodles, tofu, etc.

Besides the above substances, it also includes phosphoric acid, sodium lactate, calcium lactate and calcium carbonate in acidity regulator, alum in starter, polyglycerol monoester, Tween and stearoyl lactic acid in emulsifier, rennet in enzyme preparation, D- mannitol, maltitol, lactitol and sorbitol in sweetener, trisodium phosphate and disodium hydrogen phosphate in water-retaining agent, pectin and propylene glycol alginate in thickener.