For most thickeners, their basic chemical composition is monosaccharide and its derivatives. Common monosaccharides include glucose, glucuronic acid, mannuronic acid, rhamnose, pyranose, guluronic acid, galacturonic acid, etc. Such as hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate is a starch derivative; The main ingredient of gelatin is protein; Pectin is a kind of dietary fiber.
thickener is harmless to human body. Thickener is a kind of food additive, which is harmless to human body. It is mainly used to improve and increase the viscosity of food, keep the color, fragrance, taste and stability of fluid food and jelly food, improve the physical properties of food, and make food feel smooth and palatable. At present, there are 39 kinds of thickeners approved for use in China.
Extended information:
When it comes to thickener, many people are afraid that it is a chemical synthetic substance, which will increase blood viscosity. However, this is not the case.
Thickeners can improve the viscosity of food or form gel, thus giving food a sticky and suitable taste.
The most common thickeners are modified starch and gums, such as sodium carboxymethyl starch, hydroxypropyl starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, pectin, gelatin, etc. Many of them belong to dietary fibers, such as pectin and guar gum. Thickeners are not all synthetic, but many come from natural foods, such as sodium alginate and agar.
It should be noted that the thickener has nothing to do with blood viscosity. It's like no matter what color food you eat, your eyes and skin will not change color; No matter how much preservative you eat, you can't be mummified. Generally speaking, the safety of thickeners is very high, so there is no limit to their usage in many foods.
On the contrary, if there is no thickener, yogurt is easy to agglomerate and whey will precipitate, which will make the taste rough. Ice cream melts easily and drips everywhere like popsicles; The pulp in the juice can't be suspended, and the taste is uneven when drinking.
People's Health Network-Many thickeners belong to dietary fiber.