The Particularity of the carrageenan is it has the capacity to create a big variety of gel textures to an ambient temperature; in addition they can be also used as thickeners, suspension agents, water retention, gelation and stabilization of different applications of the food industry.
• Kappa Carrageenan I: They produce firm and brittle gels in water, with high syneresis. It requires a high temperature to complete it’s dissolution (approx. 75°C) and imparts low viscosity to the system in which it’s applied.
• Kappa Carrageenan II: It forms firm and elastic gels in milk and water, with moderate syneresis. It has a very high reactivity with milky proteins and it requires approx.. 71°C for it’s complete dissolution. It’s viscosity is a little bit bigger compared to Kappa Carrageenan I because of it’s molecular weight.
• Iota Carrageenan: It forms a very elastic gel in water and milk with very low syneresis. It has a thixotropic behavior, giving a very good stability in freezing and unfreezing cycles. It requires approx. 60°C for it’s complete dissolution and it’s viscosity is slightly lower compared to Kappa Carrageenan II..
• Lambda Carregeenan: It’s the most soluble in water and milk, and it develops a high viscosity in the systems where it’s applied. It doesn’t gel and it’s soluble in water and cold milk.
- Examples of these are in milky products: as stabilizers in ice creams, suspending cocoa in chocolate milk, as gelling’s in flans and puddings, or as milk cream thickener and Yogurt. They can also be applied as gelling’s in desserts like jelly, gelatin, marshmallows and gummy candy.
-In meat products, they are used to help give texture to the ham, dried meat, inlay, mortadella, hamburgers, pate, processed meat, while in drinks they can be used to clarify and refine juices, pulps, beers, wine and vinegar.
-In baking they have utilities as cover thickeners and fillers, and this property is also very useful in sauces and soups. Also, the carrageenan have industrial applications in toothpaste, pet food, cosmetics and paint, among others.
