What is Sodium Alginate
Sodium alginate, also known as sodium alginate and kelp gum, is a by-product of extracting iodine and mannitol from brown algae kelp or sargassum and is a natural polysaccharide carbohydrate. Sodium alginate is a white or light yellow powder, almost odorless and tasteless. Soluble in water, insoluble in ethanol, ether, chloroform, and other organic solvents. Non-toxic and fairly stable when stored at 25°C and below in well-sealed containers.
Application of Sodium Alginate in the Food Industry
Sodium alginate is an indispensable water-soluble dietary fiber for the human body. It has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on the prevention of colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and the accumulation of lead and cadmium in the body. Known as “health and longevity food” in Japan, it is known as a wonderful food additive in the United States. As a kind of alginate, it is widely used in the field of food because of its good thickening, film-forming, stability, flocculation, and chelating properties.
1. Functional food
Sodium alginate is an indispensable dietary fiber for the human body. It has unique nutrition, can combine with organic matter, reduce cholesterol in serum and liver, inhibit the increase of total fatty acid concentration, improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and inhibit the absorption of harmful elements such as radioactive strontium and cadmium in the body. Long-term consumption of Jiangtangle, sweet jelly, fruit juice powder, orange juice, etc. prepared with sodium alginate will help treat hypertension, coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes and intestinal system diseases. For healthy food, sodium alginate is generally dissolved in water with auxiliary materials, mixed evenly, and then solidified into granules, strips, and fiber paper, which can be made into solid drinks or imitation meat foods.
2. Bionic food
Sodium alginate gel shows unique advantages in the field of bionic food and can be made into various forms of bionic food according to needs. There are mainly imitation meat food, imitation fruit food, imitation aquatic food, artificial potato chips, etc. Sodium alginate has been successfully used in the manufacture of fibrous artificial beef, and muscle imitation. Artificial jellyfish is a kind of bionic food made by imitating the shape, color, and flavor of natural jellyfish skin in a soluble calcium salt solution by adding sodium alginate as the main raw material and adding nutritional condiments such as soybean protein and monosodium glutamate. It can be used in cold dressing and has the crisp and tender flavor of the natural sting.
3. Flour products
Adding 0.2%-0.5% sodium alginate in the production of dried noodles and instant noodles can significantly increase the viscosity, prevent brittleness, and increase the gluten value to a certain extent. Effectively reduce the rate of broken ends, boil-resistant, foam-resistant, non-stick, strong gluten, high toughness, delicate, lubricated, chewy taste.
4. Baked goods
It can be applied to cakes and bread premixes, or added in the production of bread and cakes, and the addition amount is 0.1%-0.5%. It can prominently prevent aging and drying, reduce chipping, and have gluten, and good taste. Strengthen the dough gluten, improve the air-holding performance of the dough, and increase the specific volume of the bread, the internal tissue structure is delicate and full of elasticity, and the taste is good. Good water retention, improved anti-aging effect, and extended product storage period. In the cake, it also helps to emulsify the egg slurry, increase the specific volume of the cake, and make the pores fine and uniform, soft and elastic. And it is easy to release from the mold and has a smooth appearance.
5. Jams
Water-retaining and shaping, made into a gel-type jam, easy to spread, smooth, and elastic to reduce the dropout of water. Baking-resistant, after high-temperature baking, it still retains the unique flavor of fresh fruit, the sauce is full, and the flavor of fresh fruit is obvious. The surface is smooth and elastic, the body is full, the taste is fine guanidine, and the water analysis is reduced.
6. Milk products and beverages
Sodium alginate can be used as a stabilizer for frozen milk, frozen juice, and other beverages. Adding an appropriate amount of sodium alginate to frozen milk can significantly increase the taste without stickiness and stiffness. In particular, adding 0.2%-1% sodium alginate to yogurt can maintain and improve the shape of its curd, prevent the phenomenon of viscosity drop during high-temperature sterilization, and at the same time extend the storage period and keep its special flavor unchanged. It can also be used as a margarine thickener and emulsifier. In addition, when added to beverages, it can be made into a refreshing fruity syrup with saccharin and auxiliary materials, which has a smooth and uniform taste, and is stable and not stratified.
7. Cold food
0.1%-0.5% sodium alginate is generally added as a stabilizer when producing ice cream, popsicles, and ice cream. The prepared mixture is uniform, easy to adjust the fluidity of the mixture when it is frozen and easy to stir. The finished product has good shape retention, smoothness and fineness, and good taste. It does not form ice crystals during storage, and it can also stabilize the air bubbles in it. The expansion rate of the product is increased by about 18%, the output is increased by 15%-17%, and the product is soft and elastic.
8. Meat products
Adding 0.3%-0.8% sodium alginate to meat sausages can retain water, and oil, increase elasticity, increase crispness, and improve liveability. At the same time, making bionic fat can reduce costs and is beneficial to health. When recombining meat products, it can also improve the utilization rate of minced meat, with high bonding strength and wide range.
9. Explosive Beads
The application of sodium alginate and calcium ion to form a gel. The manufactured interesting and leisure products have good taste. After beading, it is put into the cigarette holder and wrapped with various flavors, pigments, and other auxiliary materials.
10. Edible film material
At present, the use of animal membranes to make sausages, red sausages, and other food casings is decreasing. In addition to replacing them with non-toxic polymer substances, sodium alginate is also used to make casings. The characteristics of calcium alginate gel produced by using sodium alginate solution and calcium salt can be used as a fresh-keeping film for fish, meat, and fruit foods. This will not only prevent enzymes from acting on oxidation but also prevent food dehydration. In order to increase the economic value of frozen shellfish, sodium alginate can also be added to the brine used for freezing as a thickener. Sodium alginate can also be used to preserve the freshness of aquatic products such as shrimp.
In the end
The above is about the application of sodium alginate in the food industry. Jinbangch sells different grades of sodium alginate, including industrial grade, food grade, and medical grade. If you want to buy sodium alginate, please feel free to contact us, and we will provide you with free samples and favorable prices.