Offer you professional solutions for high-quality aluminum sulfate and alum series products
What are the specific applications of potassium alum in the food processing industry?
Release time：
2021-06-24
Potassium alum (KAl(SO 4)2 ·12H 2 O)) has been widely used in food processing due to its unique physicochemical properties. However, with the improvement of food safety standards, its application range and dosage have been strictly limited. The following are its specific applications, mechanisms of action, and relevant regulations in the food processing industry:
I. Traditional applications in food processing
1. Noodle product improvement (leavening and gluten strengthening)
Applied products: Youtiao (Chinese fried breadstick), Youbing (Chinese fried cake), Mahua (twisted fried dough), starch noodles, vermicelli, Liangpi (a type of cold noodle) etc.
Mechanism of action:
Synergistic effect of leavening agents: When combined with baking soda (NaHCO 3 ) to form baking powder, it reacts with water to produce (CO 2 ) gas, making the dough fluffy.
Gluten strengthening and water retention: (Al^{3+}) binds to the carboxyl groups in gluten protein, enhancing the toughness of the gluten network and improving the elasticity and cooking resistance of products such as starch noodles.
Use case: In traditional Youtiao recipes, the amount of alum is approximately 0.5%-1.0% of the flour (mixed with baking soda at a ratio of 2:1).
2. Pickling and preservation
Applied products: Pickled cucumbers, preserved mustard tuber, pickles, jellyfish, etc.
Mechanism of action:
Astringency and antibacterial properties: (Al^{3+}) coagulates cell proteins, inhibiting microbial growth while maintaining vegetable crispness (e.g., approximately 0.1%-0.2% in pickled cucumbers);
Jellyfish processing: Mixed with salt and lime for pickling, dehydrating the jellyfish and coagulating proteins to create a crisp and tender texture (traditional methods used 5%-10% alum, which is now being gradually replaced).
3. Bean curd coagulation and clarification
Applied products: Tofu, jelly, pudding, etc.
Mechanism of action:
Protein coagulation: (Al^{3+}) disrupts the charge balance of soybean protein colloids, promoting protein aggregation and precipitation to form a delicate tofu structure (the amount used is approximately 0.1%-0.3% of the soybeans, and the coagulation speed is faster than gypsum or brine);
Clarifying agent: Used in juice and syrup production to adsorb suspended impurities and improve transparency (e.g., ≤0.01g/L in winemaking).
4. Canning and fruit and vegetable processing
Applied products: Mushroom and asparagus cans, fruit syrup in canned fruits.
Mechanism of action:
Color protection and prevention of softening: Inhibits the activity of oxidases in fruits and vegetables, and combines with pectic acid to form insoluble salts, maintaining tissue firmness (e.g., ≤0.05g/kg in mushroom cans).
More News
Hi
Contact us for better prices
Hotline：+86-533-5686618
Contact Number：+86-13235339875
Fax：+86-533-5686858
Email：market@landingchem.com
Address：Luocun Town, Zichuan District, Zibo, Shandong, China
Please send us your business needs, and our professional service team will answer them for you!