Food Formulation: Systems, Emulsions, Compounds

• Study notes on food formulation, amphipathic compounds, dispersed systems, emulsions, algae, hunting, butchery, ice cream and texturizers

Dispersed Systems in Food Formulation

• Dispersed systems are mixtures where one phase (dispersed) is distributed in another (continuous) phase.

Amphipathic Compounds

• Amphipathic compounds possess both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (fat-attracting) parts.
• They can act at the interface between immiscible liquids like water and oil.
• Lecithin is found in egg yolks and used in mayonnaise is an example.
• Synthetic surfactants such as polysorbates (E-432 to E-436) are used in ice cream and sauces.

Types of Dispersed Systems

• Gas in Liquid/Solid: Foams (mousse, meringue), Aerosols (cooking sprays).
• Liquid in Liquid/Solid: Emulsions (mayonnaise, butter), Gels (gelatin).
• Solid in Liquid/Solid: Solid dispersions (candies, chocolate chip cookies).

Emulsions

• Emulsions are mixtures of two immiscible liquids (like oil and water) stabilized by a surfactant.
• Oil in Water (O/W): Oil dispersed in water (e.g., mayonnaise, milk).
• Water in Oil (W/O): Water dispersed in oil (e.g., butter, margarine).

Key Elements for Emulsions

• Two Immiscible Liquids: Like water and oil.
• Surfactant: Reduces surface tension and stabilizes the emulsion.
• Agitation: To disperse one phase into another.

Factors Affecting Emulsion Stability

• Creaming: Phase separation due to density differences (oil droplets rise).
• Coalescence: Small droplets merge to form larger ones.
• Flocculation: Droplet aggregation without fusion.
• Ostwald Ripening: Small droplets dissolve and large ones grow.

Surfactants

• Functions by reducing surface tension and forming a film around droplets to prevent coalescence
• Lecithin is a natural surfactant found in egg yolks.
• Polysorbates are synthetic surfactants used in ice cream and sauces.

Gels

• Gels are three-dimensional dispersed systems where a polymer network traps a liquid, usually water.
• Network Gels: Formed by interlacing polymers (e.g., agar-agar).
• Particle Gels: Formed by aggregating particles (e.g., proteins in gelatin).

Gelling Agents

• Alginate: Forms gels with calcium, used in spherification.
• Pectin: Forms gels with sugar and acid, used in marmalades.
• Agar-Agar: Forms thermo-reversible gels, used in desserts.
• Gelatin: Forms elastic gels, used in mousses and desserts.

Algae Definition

• Aquatic plants taking nutrients from the sun and absorbing inorganic nutrients from water.
• Cells perform vegetative functions as they lack differentiated organs.

Phycocolloids

• Polysaccharides extracted from algae; used as thickeners, gelling agents, and stabilizers.
• Examples are Agar-Agar (E-406) from red algae, used in desserts.
• Alginates (E-400) extracted from brown algae are used in spherification.
• Carrageenans (E-407) from red algae are used in ice cream and dairy products.

Algae Classification

• Red Algae (Rhodophyceae): Contains phycoerythrin pigment (red), examples include Nori (used in sushi), Irish Moss (thickener), and Dulse (rich in protein and minerals); found at depths of 30-120 meters
• Green Algae (Chlorophyceae): Contains chlorophyll (green), examples include Sea Lettuce (rich in vitamins A & B) and Codium (spongy texture, sea flavor); found in shallow and inland waters.
• Brown Algae (Phaeophyceae): Contains fucoxanthin pigment (brown), examples include Kombu, Wakame (rich in iodine and calcium), and Sea Spaghetti; found in rocky and intertidal coasts.

Uses of Algae

• Historically used in medicine (digestives, wound care) and agriculture (fertilizers)
• Industrially used for extracting phycocolloids (thickeners, gelling agents).
• Used in human diets (soups, salads, sushi).

Algae Toxicity

• Macroalgae are nontoxic to humans
• Microalgae can exhibit toxic effects (harmful algal blooms or HABs)

Algae Nutrients

• Fibers regulate intestinal transit
• Proteins have high biological value (containing amino acids).
• Vitamins include B3, B6, C.
• Minerals include iodine, iron, calcium and magnesium.

Variations of Algae

• Sea Lettuce has vitamins A/B, magnesium, iodine, iron, and calcium
• Nori comprises 30% protein and is rich in iodine; it is commonly eaten with sushi and in soups.
• Kombu is filled with iodine and folic acid, used in soups and broths.
• Wakame is rich in calcium and vitamins, often found in salads and soups.

Hunting Definition

• The pursuit and capture of wild animals for sport, subsistence, or population control.

Hunting Objectives

• Sport: Recreational activity
• Population Control: Prevents overpopulation and damage to ecosystems/crops.
• Conservation: Managed hunting helps maintain ecological balance.

European and Spanish Hunting Legislation

• European Legislation: Regulates species that can be hunted annually, dividing species into pests (controllable by hunting) and stable populations (hunted under quotas).
• Spanish Legislation: Each region regulates hunting. 90% of Spain is covered by hunting reserves.
• Licenses: Hunting license, permission, liability insurance, and a firearms license are needed to legally hunt.

Types of games

• Big Game: Includes deer, wild boar, roe deer, fallow deer, mouflon.
  • Techniques of: Montería (hunters surround area), stalking (individual hunting), and aguardo (strategic waiting).
• Small Game: Includes partridge, rabbit, hare, pigeon, quail, duck.
  • Techniques of: hunters walk with dogs, hunters surround birds, and decoys.

hunting tools and tactics

• firearms, bows, and arrows
• Auxiliary Animals: Dogs used to track, ferrets used to hunt rabbits, and falcons used in falconry (UNESCO recognized).

Legal Hunting Control Includes

• Mandatory Marking tags: with location, date, and time information.
• Veterinary Inspection: Guarantees meat quality and safety.

Meat Nutrition

• High Protein foods: Helps with tissue development and repair.
• Lower in fat: healthy diets.
• Mineral Rich : Iron, zinc, phosphorus.
• Includes Vitamins: B2, B3 , B12.

Meat Consumption

• Traditionally Stewed, modern methods like sous-vide enhance flavor and texture.

Ice Cream

• Frozen, consisting of water, sugars, fats, proteins and air

Ice Cream Ingredients

• Water: Main component (80%), some freezes while the liquid creates a smooth texture
• Sugars: Help with the PAC (freezing point) while texturizing
  • Sucrose gives 100% sweetener
  • Dextrose uses 70% sweetener but better PAC
  • Glucose avoids crystals
  • Fructose is sweet (170% sweetener level)
• Fats: Allows for creaminess and smoothness
  • Milk for milk or Cream ice cream
  • Vegetable for vegan ice cream
• Proteins: Adds air and stabilizes mixtures
  • Milk, Egos and Vegetables
• Air: Provides an airy texture
  • Up too 40%

Ice Cream Parameters

• POD (Sweetener Power): measures how sweet ice cream is
  • Ranges from 10-15 (gastronomy), 16-18 (commercial) and 19-22 (very sweet)
• PAC (Anti-Freezing Power): control the ice cream
  • Ranges from -8 to -9°C (soft), -10 to -14°C (showcase), -16 to - 19°C (Restaurant Ice cream)
• Solid Total:
  • Cream: 35-40%
  • Water: 28-32%
• Fat ice cream should optimal be 2.5 - 8%, Cream ice cream should be +8%
• Protein: Optimal protein should be 3-4%

Texturizers

• Food additives enhancing food texture include thickening, gelling, emulsifying, elasticity, and creaminess.
• Functions: Can thicken (increase liquids), become Gels, Stabilize homogeneity
• Emulsifies liquids.

Types of Texture

• Thickeners increase liquid viscosity, like Almidón which is used in sauce, cream and soups
• Gelling agents will form a gel with a more solid base
  • Gelatin (elastic desserts) Agar-agar (termorreversibles) Pectins( Jellies, jaleas)
• Stabilizers maintain a consistent mix
  • Carragenanos (dairy based desserts) Goma Arábiga (drinks)
• Emulsifiers like Lecitina, Polisorbatos(desserts) combines liquids better

thickeners

• substances that increase liquid viscosity without forming a gel.
• They improve sauce texture and give body to dishes
• include cornstarch, and other components

thickener types

• cornstarch is created with wheat, rice, and corn
• It is found in water, and is used for sauces, creams, soups
• Xanthan Gum has a glucose and stable ph.
• It is found in sauces, sweets
• Guar Gum has viscosity in low contents
  • It includes cold water and is synergistic with xanthan gum
• Arabic Gum is a acacia tree
  • In cold water, it stabilzes food.

Gelling Qualities

• create gels when blended with Liquids
• It adds a solid look while creating a gel
• It works to mix well

Gel types

• Gelatins is a collagen from bone creating a elastic texture -- A blend reading is 180-250

stabilizers

• Substances maintaining mixture homogeneity, preventing phase separation
• Can be used to prevent oil from separating in water when using sauce
• Some of These are Carrageenans, they contain calcium -Kappa makes firms, lota makes Elastic, and Lambda thickens it

Emulsifiers

• Substances that mix immiscible liquids (like oil and water)
• They allow for the stabilization of foods along with the mixing. -Lecithin is used in eggs, and soy
  • Polysorbates makes synthetics
  • The both stabilize these.

Common Texturizer Applicaations

1. Thickners
   • Sauces mix Almidón, goma xantana

• Soups blend Goma guar, almidón
  • Mix deserts Goma xantana, carragenanos

2. Gelling qualities -Create Postres: Gelatina -Marmalades: Pectina
   • Cocina molecular with Alginato