| Citric
Acid |
Acidulants
Used to lower pH to the optimum pH
range for stabilisers such as pectins (pH 3.0 – 3.4).
Also used to balance the perception of acid and sweetness, especially in fruit
products. |
Citric Acid is
a natural acidulant that gives a pleasant acid note. |
| Tartaric
Acid |
|
Tartaric
Acid is a natural acidulant,
but with a slightly more acidic profile than citric
acid.
 Other
less commonly used acidulants are summarised
in the Acidulants section. |
| Ascorbic acid |
Antioxidant |
Although prone to quicker
discolouration, ascorbic acid can often be used to
maintain colour in low calorie products. |
| Essential
Oils |
Aromatics,
flavour enhancers |
Amedeo
Giovanni offers a full range of citrus
essential oils, including orange, lemon
and lime. |
| Maltol |
|
Maltol and ethyl
maltol are both exceptional flavour enhancers,
and can be used to boost berry flavours. |
| Oleoresins |
|
Oleoresins to
use in fruit preparations might include
cinnamon, clove, ginger and nutmeg. |
| Maltodextrin |
Bulking
agents
Used where a non-standard jam is made, often with lower
calorific content. |
Maltodextrin can
be added as a nutritive bulking agent, with reduced
sweetness in the final product. |
| Polydextrose |
|
Polydextrose is
a bland bulking agent with virtually no sweetness,
and reduced calorific content. |
| Natural
Colours, Artificial
Colours |
Colour |
Hawkins
Watts Australia offers a comprehensive range of natural
and artificial colours for use in all food
and beverage applications.
Our suppliers, DD
Williamson and Phytone,
cover the colour spectrum. |
| Flavours |
Flavours
Flavour perception in low calorie products is affected
significantly by the absence of sugar. The final acid
/ sugar balance can have a dramatic effect on the final
flavour perception. |
The
addition of fruit flavours or vanillas can help to
boost the flavour lost during processing. |
| Alginate |
Gelling agents,
gums, hydrocolloids, thickeners, stabilisers |
Alginate is ideally suited to spreads with
pH in the range 3.6 – 4.0, irrespective of the solids
level. It gives excellent fruit appearance, flavour release
and mouthfeel.
We recommend alginates from FMC BioPolymer. Please contact FMC BioPolymer
directly: www.fmcbiopolymer.com. |
| Carrageenan |
|
Carrageenans can be used at very low levels of solids.
We recommend carrageenans from FMC BioPolymer. Please contact FMC BioPolymer
directly: www.fmcbiopolymer.com. |
| Pectin |
|
Classic Amid AF020 pectin from Herbstreith & Fox is
a general-purpose, amidated pectin suitable for low-solids
jams and marmalades.
Classic AB901 pectin from Herbstreith & Fox can
be also be used to increase filling viscosity and
prevent fruit flotation. |
| Xanthan |
|
Xanthan can sometimes
be used to reduce fruit flotation in jams without interfering
with the pectin set. |
| Calcium Citrate |
Minerals |
Calcium Citrate is
a fine, powdered material, suited to specialty
mineral applications. It has a standardised solubility,
and is important to set up gels with low methoxyl
pectins and some alginates.
See
our Minerals section |
| Potassium sorbate |
Preservatives
Given the temperatures involved in baking, combined with
high solids and often low pH, preservatives are usually
only required as insurance against yeast or mould growth. |
Potassium sorbate is
often used to prevent yeast and mould growth. Potassium
sorbate loses effectiveness if the pH is greater
than 6.5. |
| Sodium Benzoate |
|
Sodium Benzoate has similar effect
on yeast and mould growth, but needs to be used in
a product pH below 4. |
| Fructose |
Sweetener
Provide sweetness and enhance flavours. |
Fructose is
a natural sugar, with 1.2 – 1.6 times the sweetness
of sucrose. Fructose can be used in
products where sweetness profile and glucose content
need to be controlled, and can also be used for enhancing
berry flavours.
Fructose also has a low glycaemic index and will help
reduce the water activity of products. |
| Stevia |
|
Stevia from Daepyung is
a natural high-intensity sweetener and sugar substitute
extracted from the Stevia plant with applications
in low-sugar
formulations. |
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