Zhong Xuegao（Chicecream） did not melt at room temperature for an hour. What is the carrageenan accused of being the "culprit"?

"Glue" is associated with food, which may make ordinary people uncomfortable, let alone what "carrageenan" is. The ice cream does not melt, is it because of the addition of carrageenan? Will this carrageenan be used to make shoes?

When it comes to starch and lotus root starch, everyone must be familiar with them and not reject them. Well, carrageenan is actually somewhat similar, except that it is a seaweed extract. First give the conclusion: carrageenan is a very common and safe food additive. Carrageenan is added to many foods in daily life. If you still have doubts about this, after reading this article, you can decide whether or not to give up many of the delicacies.

Carrageenans, also known as carrageenan, carrageenan, Irish moss carrageenan, is a collective name for a group of linear sulfated polysaccharides extracted from marine red algae. As a safe natural food additive, the finished product of carrageenan is white powder, which is mostly used as a coagulant, thickener and stabilizer in the food industry, daily chemicals, pet food and other fields.

From form to function, carrageenan and starch are similar. Carrageenan and starch are both polysaccharides, which are also extracted from plants. When they meet water, they will form hydrocolloids, which have the effect of thickening. Carrageenan is also commonly found like starch. Just as cooking often requires adding starch to thicken it, it will always need to be thickened when making dairy products, yogurt, or when making meatloaf or sauces. At this time, it is necessary to add colloid, and plant-based colloids represented by carrageenan are often the best choice.

Back to the question at the beginning. Zhong Xuegao's addition of carrageenan is only part of the reason for "not melting". In order to solidify and thicken, carrageenan also needs to be used in conjunction with ingredients such as sugar, fat, and other thickeners. Moreover, Zhong Xuegao's "not melting" is not really not melting, but it remains the same at high temperature and does not turn into water. This is more due to Zhong Xuegao's high proportion of solids and less liquid content such as water and emulsion. .

Scholars believe that red algae have been used as medicine by the Chinese as early as 600 BC; and as early as 400 BC, the Irish began to use red algae as food, and the "cara" of carrageenan comes from Ireland. Irish Carraigín for red algae. Yes, carrageenan originates from the island of Ireland. They dry, wash and boil red seaweed, and use the resulting goo as an ingredient in pies, desserts and beers. That sticky substance is carrageenan, the Irish Blancmange pudding that uses it as its main ingredient.

Carrageenan is only required to be "used in moderation according to production needs" in cream, butter and concentrated butter, raw wet flour products, spices, and fruit and vegetable juices; while in raw and dry flour products, other sugars and syrups, and infant formula food , the maximum addition amount is 8.0g/kg, 5.0g/kg, 0.3g/L respectively. This means that carrageenan is not "excessively added" in most food categories, which also proves from the side that there is no evidence that the addition of carrageenan poses a food safety risk.

In the food industry, carrageenan plays an outstanding role in the following areas:

Dairy: Mainly used to thicken and improve food taste

Ice cream: It can prevent the separation of whey and prevent the formation of water crystals, thereby improving the taste

Candy: Hydrocolloid made from carrageenan, one of the main optional raw materials for making fruit gummies

Sauce: acts as a thickener to increase consistency

Meat products: replace fat to increase the water holding capacity of the product

Beer: Used as a clarifying agent for flocculation

Soy milk and vegetable milk: thickeners

Sparkling Water: Enhances Taste, Preserves Fragrance