Knowde Enhanced TDS
Identification & Functionality
- Ingredient Name
- Food Ingredients Functions
- Ingredients
- Carrageenan
- Food Additive Number
- E 407, INS 407
- Technologies
- Product Families
- Sources
Carrageenan is a cell-wall hydrocolloid found in certain species of
seaweeds belonging to red algae (class: Rhodophyceae).High-productivity sites are the waters off the coasts of
Chile, Mexico, Spain, Philippines, and Japan.
After harvesting the seaweed, the Carrageenans are extracted and
simultaneously upgraded through the use of various cationic alkalis.
After extraction and purification, the Carrageenan is either alcohol
precipitated or drum dried. Alcohol precipitation is considered the
best method, since less thermal shock occurs, and the indigenous
salts are left behind in the alcohol. All Colony Gums Carrageenans
are alcohol precipitated.
Features & Benefits
- Labeling Claims
- Food Ingredients Features
- Chemical Characteristics
Functional properties may be predicted based on the primary
idealized repeating unit structures for Kappa Carrageenan, Lambda
Carrageenan, and Iota Carrageenan. One major generalization can
be observed based on sulfate content. (Agar and Furcellaran used to
aid example.) Viscosity increases proportionately with the increase
in sulfur, while gel strength proportionately decreases. The idealized
structure of Lambda Carrageenan is the only structure devoid of a
3.6-anhydro unit, and it’s the only non-gelling Carrageenan.
- Compatibility And Functional Properties
Functional properties can be manipulated through the association of
the hydrocolloid with cautions. Potassium ion generally increases the
gel strength of Kappa and Iota Carrageenans. The Iota Carrageenan is
the only reported Carrageenan that gels upon the addition of calcium.- Product Properties
- Temperature
Carrageenans generally require heat to become solubilized. Kappa
and Iota Carrageenan, depending upon salt addition, will solubilize at
about 75° Celsius and should be heated to this point in order to achieve
a gel structure upon cooling. Gel formation takes place from 65°–45°,
again depending upon associated salts. Generally, the greater the
addition of potassium or calcium, the higher the gel-set temperature.
Kappa and Iota Carrageenan gels are thermo-reversible. Thermoreversibility
usually occurs 10–15° Celsius above gel-set temperature.- Solubility
All Carrageenans are soluble in water above their gelling points.
This is usually about 45–70° Celsius. The Carrageenans associated
with sodium salts are soluble in cold as well as hot water. Carrageenans
are generally insoluble in alcohol and oils, which makes these good media
for dispersing the Carrageenans into solutions. A high concentration of
sugar will also prevent solubility below gel temperature. High amounts
of alcohol might precipitate Carrageenans out of solution.- Protein Reactivity
One of the unique properties of Carrageenans is their ability to react
with proteins. Carrageenan is a negatively charged polymer and as such
is capable of ion-ion reactions with the positively charged polycation
protein. Calcium-sensitive milk proteins can also form weak complexes
with the calcium ion present in calcium-associated Carrageenans. This
ability to react with proteins makes Carrageenans particularly useful
in the dairy industry. Stabilizers for ice cream, chocolate-milk drinks,
puddings, whipping creams, and cheeses, for example, are built around
protein-reactive Carrageenans. In these cases, the Carrageenans are
usually used at very low levels, around 50–300 ppm.
Applications & Uses
- Markets
- Applications
- Food & Nutrition Applications
- Uses
- Dairy
- Beverage
- Salad Dressing
- Pharmaceutical
- Cosmetic
- Paint
Dairy
Carrageenans are widely used in the dairy industry for their waterbinding
and -suspending properties. The unique capabilities of
Carrageenans to complex with proteins helps prevent wheying off
in such products as cottage cheese and yogurt. The gelling properties
of Carrageenans are used in cheeses and parfait-style yogurts.
Carrageenans are the main component of ice-cream stabilizers.
The ability to prevent wheying off and crystallization are Carrageenans’
functions with these products. When chocolate milk or milk drinks
are bottled, the cocoa or carob particles have a tendency to fall out
of solution. The gel structures that Carrageenans set up help keep
the cocoa particles in suspension without adding much viscosity.
Additionally, a mouth feel approximating a creamy texture is imparted
by the use of Carrageenans in this situation. Most anywhere that a
dairy protein exists—for example, whipped cream, soft-serve ice
cream, custards, and so on—Carrageenans can be used as a stabilizer.
Beverage
Besides the already mentioned dairy beverages, Carrageenans can
be useful in pulp suspension in fruit drinks. Syrups can be thickened
and stabilized with Carrageenans. Another unique application of
Carrageenans is in wine and beer clarification. Dry powdered mixes
often incorporate Carrageenans for mouth feel and viscosity.
Salad Dressing
Carrageenans fit in with several types of popular dressings. First,
Carrageenans are used to help stabilize regular standard-of-identity
salad dressings. Second, dry-mix dressings depend on Carrageenans
to help aid in particle suspension and to quickly increase viscosity. A
new application of Carrageenans is in oil-less salad dressings. Here,
the Carrageenans are used to impart an oily mouth feel and to increase
viscosity; they can also be used to make “permanently suspended
solids” in no-oil dressings.Other Food Items
Carrageenans are put to use whenever a gel system is required.
Water dessert gels can be made without gelatin by using
Carrageenans as the gelling agent. An advantage of this is that
prepared gels can have a very long shelf life and are stable at fairly
high temperatures. Fish gels and aspics can be made quickly and
inexpensively using Carrageenans. Many gel-type candies formerly
made with Agar are now using Carrageenans as a total or partial
replacement for Agar.
At low usage levels, Carrageenans can form a very slight gel for use
in relishes and food toppings. Marmalades and jellies, condensed
products, and pet-food gels and binders are still other possible uses.
Pharmaceutical
Carrageenans have been used as binders in tableting as well as
tablet disintegrators. Syrups can be thickened using Carrageenans.
Other applications are as viscosity agents in enemas, as gelling agents
in prepared cold packs, and as binders and absorbing agents in
sanitary napkins and tampons.
Cosmetics and Personal Care
Toothpastes, especially gel types, have a Carrageenans base.
Carrageenans are also used in shampoos, as thickeners, in facial
and hand lotions, and facial masks. Solid gel deodorants use
Carrageenans as the base for their gel structure.
Paints
Water-based paints incorporate Carrageenans as a thickening agent
and to help the paint spread evenly. When sodium is the associated cation with the Carrageenans, the gelling
phenomenon is not observed. However, in some cases an increase in
viscosity is noted.
Secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure association can affect
the functional properties. In all of the Carrageenans, except Lambda
Carrageenan, the gel structure is achieved through double-helix
junction zones.
Carrageenans are stable throughout a wide range of pH conditions
and will adapt to most food systems. A Carrageenan gel will start
losing some of its strength at pH values below 4–5 and above 10.- Qualities
- Uniform Gelling
- Thickening
- Texturizing Agent