Food additives are substances added to food to maintain flavor or enhance taste, appearance or other sensory qualities. They can be divided into direct and indirect additives. A former is incorporated into foods to impart specific technical or functional qualities, whereas a latter refers to substances introduced into food indirectly during manufacturing, packaging, storage, or transportation. Food additives are widely used to meet consumer demands for the taste, colour, texture, freshness, aesthetics and nutritional value of foods.
Alfa Chemistry has focused on food nutrition for many years. In addition to nutritional supplement ingredients, we also offer high-quality food additives, all with food safety certifications. Our products include acidulants, sweeteners, preservatives, thickeners, etc. Please contact us if you do not find the product you're looking for, and we'll be glad to assist.
An acidulant is a food additive that can impart tart, sour or acidic flavor to food by regulating the growth of microorganisms. As one of the most common food seasonings, acidulants can increase appetite and promote digestion and absorption. As well as endowing food with the best flavor and taste, acidulant also acts as an antiseptic and bactericidal agent. Commonly used acidulants include citric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, etc.
Sweeteners refer to food additives that add sweetness to foods. They can be divided into nutritive sweeteners and non-nutritive sweeteners according to their nutritional value. Based on their sources, sweeteners can also be divided into natural and artificial sweeteners. When added to food or beverages, they can significantly enhance the taste and flavor of the food. Commonly used sweeteners include sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, etc.
Preservatives are a class of food additives that prevent or delay food spoilage. As a result of their ability to inhibit microorganism growth, they maintain food fresh for longer periods of time. Notably, preservatives should maintain food's original quality and nutritional value while exerting an antiseptic function. They must have no toxic side effects on the human body, and no harmful ingredients will be produced during food processing. Commonly used preservatives include sorbic acid and its salts, dehydroacetic acid and its sodium salts, sodium diacetate, calcium propionate, calcium lactate, and the biological preservative Nisin.
Thickener is a substance that increases the viscosity of latex and liquid. By increasing the viscosity of the system, it can maintain a uniform and stable suspension. Edible thickeners are commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings. According to their chemical structure and composition, thickeners can be divided into two categories: polysaccharides and polypeptides. Thickeners can also be divided into natural and synthetic thickeners, and natural thickeners can be further classified into four categories: animal thickeners (gelatin, sodium caseinate), vegetable thickeners (guar gum, acacia, pectin, agar, carrageenan, etc.), microbial thickeners (xanthan gum, gellan gum, etc.), and enzyme treatment thickeners (enzymatic hydrolyzed guar gum, enzyme-treated starch, etc.).
Other food additives are phosphates, flavor enhancers, water retaining agents, stabilisers agents, etc. Phosphate is one of the most widely used food additives. It can be used as an emulsifier, coloring agent, water retention agent, and even to extend food shelf life. As an important food ingredient and functional additive, it is widely utilized in the processing of meat products, seafood, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, bakery products, beverages and other foods. A flavor enhancer is also a food additive intended to provide a richer flavor to food.
Our products and services are for research use only and cannot be used for any clinical purposes.
