How to make edible glue
In recent years, with the rapid development of the food industry, edible gum, as a common food additive, is widely used in candies, yogurt, jelly and other foods. So, how is edible glue made? This article will give you a detailed introduction to the production process, types and applications of edible glue.
1. Types of edible glue

Edible gums are mainly divided into two categories: natural edible gums and synthetic edible gums. The following are common types of edible glue and their characteristics:
| Kind | Source | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin | Animal bones and skin | Easily soluble in hot water and forms a gel after cooling |
| Carrageenan | seaweed | High temperature resistance and strong stability |
| Pectin | Fruit peel and pulp | Need to gel under acidic conditions |
| xanthan gum | microbial fermentation | Good thickening effect, acid and alkali resistant |
2. The production process of edible glue
Different types of edible gums have slightly different production processes. The following are the production processes of several common edible gums:
1. Preparation of gelatin
Gelatin is obtained by hydrolyzing collagen extracted from animal bones or skin. The specific steps are as follows:
-Raw material handling: Clean animal bones or skin to remove impurities.
-Acid/alkali treatment: Soak raw materials in acid or alkali solution to remove minerals and fat.
-Boil and extract: Boil the processed raw materials with water to extract collagen.
-Filtration and concentration: Filter the extract, concentrate and cool it into a gel.
-Dry and crushed: The gel is dried and then pulverized to obtain gelatin powder.
2. Production of carrageenan
Carrageenan is extracted from red algae, and the production process is as follows:
-Seaweed collection: Collect fresh red algae and clean it.
-Alkali treatment: Treat seaweed with alkaline solution to destroy the cell wall.
-hot water extraction: Add seaweed to hot water to extract carrageenan.
-Filtration and purification: Filter the extract to remove impurities.
-dry molding: Dry the purified liquid to make carrageenan powder.
3. Application of edible glue
Edible gum is widely used in the food industry. The following are its main application areas:
| food category | Edible glue used | function |
|---|---|---|
| candy | Gelatin, carrageenan | Increase elasticity and taste |
| yogurt | Pectin, xanthan gum | Thickening and stabilizing texture |
| jelly | Carrageenan, gelatin | form gel structure |
| Meat products | Carrageenan, xanthan gum | Retain water and improve taste |
4. Safety of edible glue
As a food additive, the safety of edible gum is strictly regulated. The food safety standards of various countries have clearly defined the amount and scope of use of edible glue. The following are safety limits for common edible glues:
| Types of edible glue | Maximum usage (g/kg) |
|---|---|
| Gelatin | Use appropriate amount according to production needs |
| Carrageenan | 5.0 |
| Pectin | 10.0 |
| xanthan gum | 10.0 |
5. Summary
The production process of edible gum varies depending on the type, but they all go through strict extraction, purification and drying steps. It is widely used in the food industry to improve the texture, taste and stability of food. When purchasing food, consumers can pay attention to the types of edible glue in the ingredient list to understand their safety and uses.
With the advancement of science and technology, the production process of edible glue is also constantly optimized. More new types of edible glue may appear in the future, bringing more possibilities to the food industry.
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