Stabilizing Agents

Stabilizing agents are used for a number of functions in foods and the main function is to act as a thickening agent to gel the foods into the required consistency. Most stabilizing and thickening agents are polysaccharides (a kind of carbohydrate) examples of which are starches, gums, or proteins like gelatin. When processing natural food products the gums and starches are not chemically modified. In fact they are isolated from plants so that they can be formed into a more concentrated and commercially viable additive. Starch and gum polysaccharides are isolated from the original plant and even from seaweeds. Some seaweed extracts, such as agar, carrageenan, pectins and alginates, work as gelling agents in pie fillings, in icings and glazed foods. Pure starch of Native starch is insoluble in water and alcohol and is used in the food industry for binding and thickening purposes. When pure starch is modified it is called modified starch and the additive is then used for processing foods according to the technological requirements in cooking, freezing, thawing, canning and sterilisation. It is also used as per requirement in microwaveable and instant foods. Modified starch makes these various foods preparations easier, preserves food and brings stability to processed foods. Hydrocolloid gums combined with unmodified starches helps to retain moisture, reduce ice crystal growth, act as suspending and adhesive agents, stabilize foam and emulsions, and improve freeze or thaw stability. There are also starch sweeteners or glucose syrups. These are used in beverages and confectionery products to sweeten them, stabilize colour and flavor and improve the texture.