Firming agents
Firming agents are used to keep bottled or pickled fruit crisp during storage.
Calcium chloride (E509)
Calcium chloride (E509) is extracted from natural brines or manufactured from sodium carbonate and is used as an aqueous solution to provide calcium ions used to harden the water in brewing, maintain firmness and texture in canned vegetables and vegetable products and aid coagulation in cheese. It is used in canned and bottled fruit and vegetables such as carrots, kidney beans, gherkins, olives and pickles and in cheese and can be used quantum satis in the EU.
Sodium sulphate (E516)
Sodium sulphate (E516) is a naturally occurring mineral in gypsum and plaster and is used to provide calcium ions to harden water in the brewing industry or to maintain firmness of natural cell wall pectin in canned fruit and vegetables. In baking it helps bubble stability and cell strength. It is used in wafer biscuits, bread, beer and tabletted products as well as canned fruit and vegetables and can be used quantum satis in the EU.
Aluminium sulphate (E520), Aluminium sodium sulphate (E521), Aluminium potassium sulphate (E522) and Aluminium ammonium sulphate (E523)
Aluminium sulphate (E520), Aluminium sodium sulphate (E521), Aluminium potassium sulphate (E522) and Aluminium ammonium sulphate (E523). Aluminium sulphate is manufactured by the reaction of sulphuric acid with naturally occurring aluminium hydroxide and the mixed sulphates by mixing concentrated solutions of the two components and allowing them to crystallised. The mixed salts are all known as ‘alums’. It is used to maintain the crispness of vegetables in pickles as well as to preserve the whipping properties of dried egg. In the EU the aluminium sulphates are permitted only in crystallised fruits to a maximum of 200mg/kg an in egg white to a maximum of 30mg/kg.
