Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a commonly used food additive. Adding sodium carboxymethyl cellulose to dairy products has the following effects:
1. Thickening effect: Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can increase the viscosity of dairy products, giving them a suitable consistency and taste. In products such as yogurt and milk drinks, adding an appropriate amount can make the product present an ideal texture, avoid being too thin, and improve the texture when drinking or eating. For example, in some fruit milkshake drinks, it can make the milkshake thicker as a whole, and the fruit particles are evenly suspended in it, so that they will not sink quickly.
2. Emulsification and stabilization effect: Dairy products contain ingredients such as fat, and the oil phase and the water phase are prone to separation. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose has a certain emulsification ability. It can reduce the surface tension of the oil-water interface, make the fat globules evenly dispersed in the water phase, prevent fat from floating and agglomerating, thereby improving the stability of dairy products and extending the shelf life of the product. For example, in some milk-containing coffee drinks, it can prevent the separation of milk fat and ingredients such as coffee and maintain the uniform state of the product.
3. Suspension and dispersion: For dairy products containing particles (such as fruit grains, grains, etc.) or other insoluble ingredients, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can evenly suspend these particles in the liquid to avoid precipitation. For example, in some milk drinks with added oat particles, it can keep the oat particles in suspension for a long time, ensuring that consumers can drink a uniform mixture of oats and milk in every sip.
4. Improve the taste: It can make the taste of dairy products more delicate and smooth. Reduce the granularity or roughness that may appear in the mouth of the product, improve the overall taste quality, and let consumers get a better taste experience. For example, in some high-end yogurt products, adding sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can make the taste of yogurt more mellow and silky.
5. Prevent ice crystal formation: In frozen dairy products (such as ice cream), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can inhibit the growth and aggregation of ice crystals. During the freezing process, it can reduce the mobility of water molecules, make the formed ice crystals small and evenly distributed, avoid the appearance of large ice crystals that affect the taste and texture of the product, and maintain the delicate taste and good expansion rate of ice cream.
