EMULSIFIERS
Emulsifiers in food
Emulsifiers are among the most frequently used types of food additives. They are used for many reasons.
Emulsifiers can help to make a food appealing. The example of the mayonnaise without the emulsifier shows how unappealing it would be if the oil and water separated before it was used. Emulsifiers have a big effect on the structure and texture of many foods. They are used to aid in the processing of foods and also to help maintain quality and freshness. In low fat spreads, emulsifiers can help to prevent the growth of moulds which would happen if the oil and fat separated. The table shows foods in which emulsifiers are most commonly used.
PRODUCTS LIST
Soya Lecithin Granules G
Soya Lecithin Powder P
(Ultralec® P & G)
Soya Lecithin Liquid (Yelkin® TS)
Soya Lesithin-Powder,Granulate,Liquid
Distilled Glycerin Monostearate(D…
Potassium Stearate
Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate(CSL)
DATEM
Glyceryl Monostearate
Mono Propylene Glycol
SPAN 80
Sodium stearoyl lactylate(SSL)
Tween
Sodium Stearate
Glycerol Triacetate
Sugar Esters
Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acid…
Non dairy creamer
Calcium Stearate
Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (PGPR)
E No: E476
Lecithin
Extracted from vegetable oils such as soy and sunflower oil, lecithin has been used as a food emulsifiers since the 1930s. The number 184.1400 identities lecithin on the labels of food products in the United States. In Canada, lecithin is the equivalent of L.2 and in European products, E 322. Lecithin is used in a wide range of food products, including margarine, chocolate, breads and cakes, bubble gum, salad dressings and sauces.
Mono and Diglycerides
Mono and diglycerides, as well as their purified form distilled monoglycerides, are the oldest and most common food emulsifiers. These emulsifiers are produced by mixing edible oils with glycerin, and widely used in bakery and dairy products, and margarine. On the label of food products, mono and diglycerides correspond to the number 182.4505 in the U.S., while in Canada it’s M.4 and M.5. In Europe, the number E 471 identify these emulsifiers.
Monoglyceride Derivatives
The combination of monoglycerides with other substances produces emulsifiers with specialized function called monoglyceride derivatives. For instance, ethoxylated monoglycerides are the result of the interaction between a monoglyceride and ethylene oxide. Other monoglyceride derivatives include acetoglycerides (172.828) and diacetyl tartaric esters of monoglycerides or DATEM (184.1101). They are common cake emulsifiers, because they increase the aeration of the dough.
Fatty Acid Derivatives
Polyglycerol esters (PGE), propylene glycol esters (PGMS), stearoyl lactylates, sucrose esters, sorbitan esters and polysorbates are the most common food emulsifiers derived from fatty acids. PGE are used in cakes and icings, margarine and salad oils, while PGMS main application is whippable toppings. Stearoyl lactylates are used as dough strengtheners and conditioners in breads, while sorbitan and polysorbates are used for aeration in cakes and icings. Sucrose esters are also used in bubble gum, sauces, soups and canned liquid coffee.
Emulsions in food are mixtures of oil and water. These normally do not mix and will separate if left without an emulsifier. Roll over the photograph of the mayonnaise to see the effects when the emulsifier is not added.
Mayonnaise contains oil and water. The emulsifier keeps these mixed and without it the oil and water separate.
Roll over the picture to see mayonnaise without emulsifier.
What are emulsions?
There are two types of emulsions. An oil-in-water emulsion contains small droplets of oil that are dispersed in water. Alternatively, a water-in-oil emulsion has small droplets of water that are dispersed in an oil. Usually the water and oil will not mix and the emulsifier, or emulsifying agent, keeps the mixture stable and prevents the oil and water from separating into two layers.
Emulsifiers in food
Emulsifiers are among the most frequently used types of food additives. They are used for many reasons.
Emulsifiers can help to make a food appealing. The example of the mayonnaise without the emulsifier shows how unappealing it would be if the oil and water separated before it was used. Emulsifiers have a big effect on the structure and texture of many foods. They are used to aid in the processing of foods and also to help maintain quality and freshness. In low fat spreads, emulsifiers can help to prevent the growth of moulds which would happen if the oil and fat separated. The table shows foods in which emulsifiers are most commonly used.
LECITHIN-IMPORTANCE OF SOYA IN THE DIET
The desire for sweet taste is inborn. The use of honey dates back to 2000 BC but it is sugar which has been the sweetener of choice for centuries.
Sugar is a most important flavoring substance. It gives the sensation of sweetness and provides a source of energy. However, excessive sugar intake is linked with a number of health problems including tooth decay, obesity and diabetes.
Lecithin has long been regarded as medicinally effective and traditionally used to treat high cholesterol .
It is being used increasingly for other health conditions such as multiple sclerosis, bipolar disorder and Alzheimer’s disease due to effects it is thought to have on nerve cells. This supplement can easily be added to many of your daily meals. Although it is recognized as safe by the FDA, more studies are needed to demonstrate industry claims. As with any supplement, discuss the use of lecithin with your physician prior to adding it to your diet.
Description
Lecithin are fatty compounds found in all cells in nature. They form the hydrophobic walls of cell membranes, play a vital role in brain function and transport fat soluble essential nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E and K, throughout the body. Most commercial lecithin comes from soybeans but can also be obtained lecithin from corn, liver, egg yolks, peanuts and wheat germ.
Produced by the liver and an important component of the mucus layer in the large intestines, lecithin is composed of three types of fat-soluble molecules called phospholipids. These molecules are major building blocks for cell membranes and, along with cholesterol and triglyceride, help facilitate cell communication and keep cells from sticking to each other. Soybeans are rich in lecithin and are used in soy lecithin granules, a natural compound containing all the elements found naturally in cell membranes.
Liver
Liverdoctor.com says that controlled animal studies have shown lecithin to be beneficial in preventing alcoholic-induced cirrhosis. Cirrhosis occurs when chronic inflammation of liver cells causes extensive build-up of scar tissue, or collagen. Lecithin granules raise choline levels in the liver, which increases an enzyme effective in breaking down collagen. Because of lecithin’s ability to emulsify and break down fat, it may also prevent fatty liver disease, a condition resulting from accumulation of fat deposits in liver cells.
Cardiovascular System
Ingredients in soy lecithin granules are essential to nerve and muscle function, including the heart, and are contained in the sheath that covers every nerve and muscle cell in the body. According to the Nutritional Supplement Education Center, “without lecithin the membranes in our body would harden and our cells would die.” Lecithin is an emulsifying agent that breaks down cholesterol and other lipids by helping fats mix with water and body fluids, easing their removal from the body. This prevents build-up in artery walls, benefiting cardiovascular health and helping prevent atherosclerosis. A 2009 joint clinical study by the Departments of Pharmacy at various universities in San Paulo, Brazil evaluated patients with elevated blood cholesterol. The results, published in the journal “Cholesterol,” showed that daily administration of soy lecithin significantly reduced total cholesterol and stimulated fatty acid secretion with high levels of cholesterol when compared with diets without lecithin.
Brain
When you consume lecithin or soy lecithin granules, it is broken down into the nutrient choline before entering cell membranes. Choline is used to make acetylcholine, a nerve chemical essential for proper brain function. Results of studies on the effectiveness of lecithin as an aid in human brain-related disorders and treatment for Alzheimer’s, bipolar disorder and dementia have been inconclusive. However, a 2007 in vitro study, published by “CNS Drug Review” used a derivative of lecithin to examine the benefits for analgesia and Alzheimer’s disease therapy and concluded the compound as a potential candidate for chronic use to treat Alzheimer-disease-related pathology.
Gallbladder
Gallstones form in your gallbladder where bile is stored and released into your intestine to aid in digestion. Too much cholesterol can crystallize into stones. Lecithin is a major component of bile and helps breaks down fat by allowing it to mix with water, ensuring its quick elimination from the body. According to the Healthier Life website, increased risk of gallstones is related to age, weight, diet and hormonal changes. As many as 20 percent of people over 65 develop gallstones but only about 4 percent experience symptoms which can include pain in the upper right abdomen or back lasting several hours, nausea and vomiting.
Lecithin, a mixture of choline, inositol, fatty acids and phosphorus, has several functions in the human body. You have high concentrations of lecithin in your brain, liver, kidneys and bone marrow, and it can be found in varying amounts in all living animal and vegetable cells. The U.S. has not established a daily recommended allowance for lecithin because the body already synthesizes it.
SOURCE
Lecithin, a phospholipid, is a unique compound containing soluble fat and water, which normally do not mix. Lecithin can be extracted from plants, processed and made into a liquid or a dry granule form. The best food sources include soybeans at 1,480 mg per 100 g of soy, and wheat, with 2,820 mg per 100 g of whole wheat. Peanuts are also rich in lecithin, as are liver, fish, eggs, corn, oats and rice.
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