Ferulic acid: the best functional food gel

Food gums usually refer to macromolecules dissolved in water and fully hydrated under certain conditions to form viscous, creamy or jelly liquids, which can provide thickening, thickening, and adhesion in processed foods. Force, gel formation ability, hardness, brittleness, tightness, stable emulsification, suspension turbidity, etc., enable food to obtain a variety of shapes and hard, soft, brittle, sticky, thick and other tastes, so it is also often called As food thickeners, tackifiers, gelling agents, stabilizers, suspending agents, edible gums, gums, etc., because food gums are generally hydrophilic Polymer compounds, which can be hydrated to form homogeneous liquids with high viscosity, are also known as hydrocolloids and hydrosols. Food glue is a food additive widely used in the world at present, especially in countries with relatively developed food industry. Food glue is used in almost all foods. The use of food glue in meat processing can improve the physical properties of meat products, increase the adherence and water holding capacity of meat products, and impart a good taste to meat products, and at the same time improve the product yield.

With the increasing use of food glue, a variety of functional food glues have also been gradually developed. At present, Japanese food experts have made full use of the characteristics of ferulic acid with anti-oxidant activity and antibacterial activity. Ferulic acid is used as a cross-linking agent in the preparation of food gels and edible packaging films. It is reported that using this ferulic acid food gum, foods do not need to add other food preservatives and antioxidants.

Ferulic acid is safe and non-toxic, and some Western European countries have already approved it as a food additive.