Definition of food additives
Food additives are non-nutritive substances that are consciously added to foods generally in small amounts to improve the appearance, flavor, tissue structure or storage properties of the food. According to this definition, food fortifiers for the purpose of enhancing the nutritional content of food should not be included in the scope of food additives.
Introduction of Food Additive Spray Dryer
Spray drying is a process often used in the liquid process shaping and drying industry. It is suitable for generating powdery and granular solid products from solutions, emulsions, suspensions and pasty liquid materials. Therefore, when the particle size distribution, residual moisture content, bulk density and particle shape of the finished product meet the standards, spray drying is an ideal process.
Working principle of food additive spray dryer
After filtering and heating, the air enters the air distributor on the top of the dryer, and the hot air enters the drying chamber evenly in a spiral shape. The material liquid passes through the high-speed centrifugal atomizer at the top of the tower, and (rotating) sprays into very fine misty liquid beads, which can be dried into finished products in a very short time in co-current contact with hot air. The finished product is continuously output from the bottom of the drying tower and the cyclone separator, and the exhaust gas is evacuated by the fan.
Performance characteristics of food additive spray dryer
◎The drying speed is fast, and the surface area of the material liquid is greatly increased after atomization. In the hot air flow, 95%-98% of the water can be evaporated instantly, and the drying time is only a few seconds. It is especially suitable for the drying of heat-sensitive materials.
◎The product has good uniformity, fluidity and solubility, high purity and good quality.
◎Simplified production process and convenient operation and control. For liquids with a moisture content of 40-60% (up to 90% for special materials), it can be dried into powder products at one time, without crushing and screening after drying, reducing production procedures and improving product purity. The product particle size, bulk density and water content can be adjusted by changing the operating conditions within a certain range, and the control and management are very convenient.
Examples of common food additives that can be dried
Preservatives-commonly used are sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sulfur dioxide, lactic acid and so on. Used in food processing such as jams and preserves.
Antioxidants-similar to preservatives, they can extend the shelf life of food. Commonly used are dimension C, different dimension C and so on.
Coloring agent-commonly used synthetic pigments are carmine, amaranth, lemon yellow, indigo and so on. It can change the appearance of food to enhance appetite.
Thickeners and stabilizers-can improve or stabilize the physical properties of cold food and beverages, and make the appearance of food smooth and delicate. They keep frozen foods such as ice cream in a soft and loose structure for a long time.
Leavening agent-some candies and chocolates are added with leavening agent, which can promote the production of carbon dioxide from the sugar body, thereby playing the role of leavening. Commonly used leavening agents are sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, compound leavening agents and so on.
Sweeteners-commonly used synthetic sweeteners include sodium saccharin, sodium cyclamate and so on. The purpose is to increase the sweetness.
Sour agent-some beverages, candy, etc. often use sour agents to adjust and improve the fragrance effect. Commonly used citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, lactic acid and so on.
Brightener-Benzoyl peroxide is the main component of flour brightener. The upper limit of the allowable dosage of Chinese food in flour is 0.06g/kg. Excessive whitening agents will destroy the nutrition of flour. The benzoic acid produced after hydrolysis will cause damage to the liver. Benzoyl peroxide has been banned as a food additive in developed countries such as the European Union. my country also banned benzoyl peroxide as a whitening agent in May 2011.
