7. Other agents

7.1 Texturizing agents: thickeners, gelling agents, stabilizers

They are also polysaccharide macromolecules extracted from plants, seeds, algae and so on. Water-soluble, these polysaccharides can bind large quantities of water. They will act on the medium through their thickening and/or gelling functions, depending on the degree of association between the molecules.

For these compounds, we find :

• carrageenans, which form more or less firm gels with proteins, depending on the pH of the medium, and enhance the juiciness of processed products: cooked cured poultry compounds, very lean minced preparations, standard cooked hams, meats for ready meals, etc. ;

• Alginates are thickeners...