Seaweed colloids can improve the properties and structure of food due to their inherent physicochemical properties. Low heat non-toxic, easy to expand, and high flexibility. When added to food, its functions include coagulation, blending, emulsification, suspension, stability, and preventing food drying. The most important function is gel, that is, to form edible gel, close to solid, to maintain the shape of the molding. Therefore, it is an excellent food additive.
Carrageenan is an excellent coagulant used to make fruit jelly. It can be solidified at room temperature. The formed gel is semi-solid with good transparency and is not easy to collapse. Carrageenan can also be added with nutrients to make jelly powder, which is very convenient to dissolve with water when consumed. It can also be used as a coagulant for milk pudding and fruit pudding, with low water secretion, delicate tissue, low viscosity, and good heat transfer.
When using bean paste as sheep soup, carrageenan can be added as a coagulant. Canned water jelly made with carrageenan as a coagulant is easy to consume and carry, with added fruits and better nutritional content than regular water jelly. Carrageenan can also be used as a coagulant for canned meat. In the production of transparent fruit gummy, carrageenan is used as a coagulant. The gummy has good transparency, strong fruit aroma, moderate sweetness, and is refreshing without sticking to the teeth. Adding carrageenan to regular hard candy can make the product uniform, smooth, and increase stability.
There are many patterns or characters on the surface of western style butter Dim sum, large cakes and other western pastries. Carrageenan can make the patterns well formed, not easy to deform or collapse, and not stick to packaging paper. When making cheese products, adding carrageenan can form a stable paste, maintain its shape, and prevent bleeding.
Carrageenan can be used as a stabilizer for ice cream to evenly distribute fat and other solid components, prevent milk separation, and increase ice crystals during manufacturing and storage, making ice cream tissue delicate, structurally good, and lubricated and palatable.
To make milk and soy milk foods for infants, carrageenan needs to be added to stabilize fat and protein without separation. Adding carrageenan to the extract of coffee or tea as a stabilizer can be made into a dry powder or paste, which can be easily consumed by rinsing with hot water.
Adding carrageenan to fruit yogurt can make the product uniform and stable, prevent the decomposition of heat and acid, increase the suspension of fruit pulp, and reduce water secretion.
Carrageenan can form high viscosity solutions due to its unbranched linear macromolecular structure and the properties of polyelectrolytes. Adding carrageenan to seasonings such as soy sauce, fish sauce, and shrimp paste can increase the consistency and adjust the taste of the product. The salad effect of using carrageenan to make Western food is also very good. When making red bean paste, carrageenan can be added as a thickener, coagulant, and stabilizer to make the product evenly dispersed and have a good taste.
Carrageenan is often used as a clarifier in wine, vinegar, soy sauce, etc. In beer production, carrageenan is used as a clarifier to remove the protein that makes beer turbid, so that the product is clear and transparent, with good results. At the same time, it can also improve the ability of beer to hang cups and the stability of beer foam.