Which Food Gum has the Better Resistance to Acid, Alkali and Salt?

Food Gum

Typical Properties

Sodium Alginate

Forms thermally irreversible gels with Ca2+; Gelling time and structure can be controlled by pH, calcium salt type and phosphate buffers and chelating agents; It has film-forming properties.

Agar-Agar

Can form firm, thermally reversible gels when hot solutions are cooled; Solidification temperature is generally below 40 °C and melting temperature is generally above 60 °C, varying with conditions.

Carrageenan

In an aqueous solution, Kappa and Iota need K+, Ca2+ respectively to form a hot reversible gel, Lambda does not gel; In milk products, all three types of carrageenan can form a gel, which can stabilize proteins, especially milk proteins, so carrageenan is especially suitable as a food thickener and gelling agent in dairy products.

Pectin

HM Pectin: It forms thermally irreversible gels at pH 2.0-3.5 and in the presence of 60-65% sucrose.

LM Pectin: It forms thermally reversible gels in the presence of Ca2+.

The speed of gelation varies with the degree of methyl esterification.

Xanthan Gum

Low concentration can produce high viscosity; the solution has high pseudo-plasticity; high viscosity stability (good resistance to heat, acid and salt).

Has a strong emulsion stabilization and suspension effect.

CMC

Cold water-soluble, can produce a viscous solution, the solution is colorless, tasteless, clear and transparent, with pseudo-plasticity; with film-forming properties.