Food & Wine Chemistry

Emulsifiers are present in many foods and help ensure that packaged foods maintain their consistency, texture, smoothness and flavor. When deciding whether to consume products containing emulsifiers, it is important to know that they are generally considered safe and that research has also shown that emulsifiers may have protective health benefits. To help consumers identify foods containing these additives and make informed decisions, food companies are generally required to specify the emulsifiers used in their foods in their ingredient lists. ... View more

Food flavors are not completely safe, and most of the hazards of flavors can only be manifested after a long period of accumulation. These substances are often harmful to the human reproductive system, while most are potentially carcinogenic. Therefore, the use of flavors is regulated by strict regulations in countries around the world. ... View more

Food ingredients are substances that are added to food to achieve a desired effect. Food ingredients usually include food additives, i.e. substances added to food during processing, storage or packaging for specific technical and/or functional purposes. I know each kind of food ingredient has its specific funtions. However, can someone summarize what are the main functions of food ingredients as a whole? ... View more

Food flavors are not completely safe, and most of the hazards of flavors can only be manifested after a long period of accumulation. These substances are often harmful to the human reproductive system, while most are potentially carcinogenic. Therefore, the use of flavors is regulated by strict regulations in countries around the world. ... View more

Food stabilizers are a class of food additives that enable food to be formed and maintain stable form and texture. It mainly includes gums, dextrins, sugar esters and other sugar derivatives. Different foods have different consistencies and textures. No two stabilizers are exactly alike, and one is usually more effective than the other in a given application. Mixtures of stabilizers are often more effective than either stabilizer alone, especially in ice cream manufacturing. Thickeners are used in food mainly to give the food the required rheological properties, to change the texture and appearance of the food, to form the liquid, pulpy food into a specific form and to make it stable and homogeneous, and to improve the quality of the food in order to give it a viscous and palatable feel. ... View more