stabilization+from+nature~ayuni~

By : Ayuni Shazwani

__**QUESTIONS**__ Most processed foods need some sort of stabilization at some point during production, transportation, storage and serving. Luckily, all-natural stabilizers help formulators develop such meal-time masterpieces. Read this article (Stabilization from Nature ) about food stabilizers (gums/hydrocolloids) and look for the answer for the following questions:
 * What are stabilizers? Why are they called "natural stabilizers"?
 * Why there is a growing demand for natural stabilizers?
 * What is the typical usage level (amount) of gums in foods?
 * Proteins can also be used as food stabilizers. Give some examples.

__ ANSWERS __
 * 1) Stabilizers are polymeric carbohydrates such as gums, fibers and starches, as well as select proteins, that can as the term suggests stabilize a food system. Stabilizing ingredients help minimize water migration, prevent oil from separating, improve mouthfeel, provide suspension, increase viscosity, prevent ice-crystal developmen. Natural stabilizers is ingredients are significantly altered from their original form and, as a result, are considered artificial or synthetic. So, by default, the generally held industry consensus is if a stabilizer is not man-made, it must be natural. Such ingredients qualify for use in foods labeled as natural, even though the descriptor natural largely remains ambiguous in today’s food marketplace.
 * 2) Because most processed foods need some sort of stabilization at some point during production, transportation, storage and serving. Beside that, the consumer expects it to look and taste like homemade when it is served.
 * 3) Small quantities of precipitating solvent remaining (<2%).
 * 4) Gelatin