Thickening agent

Thickening agent is a substance which can increase the viscosity of a liquid without substantially changing its other properties. Edible thickeners are commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings without altering their taste; thickeners are also used in paints, inks, explosives, and cosmetics.

Thickeners may also improve the suspension of other ingredients or emulsions which increases the stability of the product. Thickening agents are often regulated as food additives and as cosmetics and personal hygiene product ingredients. Some thickening agents are gelling agents, forming a gel, dissolving in the liquid phase as a colloid mixture that forms a weakly cohesive internal structure. Others act as mechanical thixotropic agents, and a few act as pseudoplastic agents.

Types of food thickeners

Starch

Starch is a common thickening agent. It is composed of a mixture of two substances: amylose, a soluble starch, and amylopectin, which is not. When heated in the presence of moisture, starch granules swell, absorbing water and increasing the volume of the product.

Vegetable gums

Vegetable gums are used as food thickeners. These include guar gum, locust bean gum, and xanthan gum. They are used in a variety of products, including ice cream and salad dressing.

Proteins

Proteins are used as a thickening agent in products such as custards and creams. These proteins coagulate when heated, thickening the liquid in which they are dissolved.

Non-food thickeners

Explosives

In explosives, thickeners can increase the viscosity and density of the product, making it safer to handle and use.

Cosmetics

In cosmetics, thickeners are used to increase the viscosity of a product, making it easier to apply and improving its stability.

See also

• Emulsion
• Suspension (chemistry)
• Viscosity

References

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