What are the applications of alginate in the food industry?

Alginose was first extracted from the ergot fungus of rye by Wiggers’ in 1832, and then mass produced by fermenting yeast, extracting from ashwagandha cells, or transforming with starch by enzymes, and our country started industrialized production from 2000.
The role of alginate
1.1 Used as a sweetener alginate sweetness equivalent to about 45% of sucrose, with a mild sweetness, crisp taste, no aftertaste after eating the characteristics of the product can maintain the original flavor, is a healthy high-quality products.
1.2 Inhibit browning Alginose is a non-reducing sugar, when coexisting with amino acids and proteins, it will not produce browning even if it is heated (Meladic reaction), it is very suitable for foods and beverages that need heat treatment or high temperature preservation.
1.3 Low hygroscopicity Some foods are not hygroscopic per se, but once sugar substances such as sucrose are added, the hygroscopicity will increase greatly, which will affect the flavor and storage period of the food itself. The hygroscopicity of alginate is low, even if the relative humidity reaches 95%, it still won’t become damp.
1.4 Prevent aging of starch Alginose has excellent effect of preventing aging of starch, and it can play a good effect when applied to pasta, cake, rice, cream, barbecue meat sauce, deep-fried meat pie and other foods containing starch, and this effect is more significant when it is low humidity or frozen.
1.5 Heat-resistant and acid-resistant Alginose is the most stable sugar among natural disaccharides, it will not be colored and decomposed even if heated at 100℃ and PH3.0 for 30 minutes.
1.6 Preventing protein denaturation Alginose can well prevent protein from denaturation during freezing, high temperature or drying. Adding alginate to various foods containing proteins can protect the natural structure of protein molecules very effectively, so that the flavor and texture of foods remain unchanged.
1.7 Inhibit the generation of putrid odor Some unpleasant odor in food is mainly composed of volatile aldehydes, ethyl mercaptan and trimethylamine, adding a certain amount of alginate can effectively inhibit the generation of these substances, presenting a very good corrective taste and odor.
Alginose has a synergistic effect on the sweetness of food, aroma enhancement, can improve the sweetness of other synthetic sweeteners such as aspartame quality, it can moderate, partially mask other undesirable flavors, reduce astringency and bitterness, part of the acidity of the role of moderating.
1.8 Solubility and crystallinity The solubility of alginose is lower than that of sucrose at low temperatures and higher than that of sucrose at high temperatures, and it has very good crystallinity, which will not be weakened under acidic conditions, and it can be crystallized under the conditions of a large amount of other sugars.
1.9 High glass transition temperature Alginate has a glass transition temperature as high as 120°C. This property, combined with its process stability and low hygroscopicity, makes alginate a high protein protective agent and an ideal spray-dried flavor retainer.
1.10 Flavor correction Alginose has synergistic enhancement effect on the sweetness and aroma of food, and can improve the sweetness quality of other synthetic sweeteners such as aspartame, and it can moderate and partially mask other undesirable flavors, reduce astringency and bitterness, and moderate the acidity of some of them.
1.11 Inhibit fatty acid decomposition of food rich in edible fats and oils in the preservation of heat and light, will produce a stimulating odor, the more unsaturated fatty acids in the oil, the more likely to produce this odor, so that the food flavor deterioration, nutritional loss, or even deterioration and loss of food value. And alginose has a good inhibition effect on the decomposition of unsaturated fatty acids in the composition of fats and oils.
1.12 Stabilize superoxide dismutase in materials Alginose can stabilize SOD activity in food, and at the same time, it can play a stabilizing effect on the SOD-like activity of antioxidants such as vitamin C and β-carotene ingested from vegetables and fruits in daily life, which can help to prevent a large increase in superoxide ions in the body.
1.13 Nutritional alginate, like sucrose and maltose, is a nutritious substance that can be easily absorbed by the small intestine to become energy (4 kcal per gram of alginate), and the decomposition of alginate in the human body is a smooth and stable process, making it ideal for use in sports drinks.
1.14 Tooth decay prevention Because alginose does not decompose in the oral cavity, it produces little acid and does not produce insoluble glucan which causes dental caries. In addition, it can inhibit the formation of insoluble glucan mucilage produced by sucrose. Therefore, it can be said that alginate is a sugar with dental benefits.
Application in food
2.1 Application in beverage