Sodium Citrate in Food Production: Molecular Gastronomy and Beyond
Sometimes an ingredient is so versatile it becomes a go-to product added to almost every food. Sodium citrate is one of those favored ingredients. While you may recognize a few of sodium citrate’s many roles in food production, Bell Chem, your food ingredient supplier, wishes to share more the wonders of sodium citrate.
As the sodium salt of citric acid, sodium citrate adds a tart, salty flavor to products while remaining colorless and odorless. Its tiny white crystals do not detract from a food’s overall appearance. For being so low key physically, the chemical properties of sodium citrate lead to spherification of the solvent to which it is added – a culinary masterpiece of chemistry!
Emulsification
Water and oil will not combine unless an emulsifier is added. Sodium citrate allows these two opposing ingredients to coalesce in cheese products, salad dressings, and sauces, giving each mouthful the same flavors. In cheese, calcium citrate helps maintain a smooth, creamy texture upon melting.
pH regulation
If the acidity of a food or beverage is not within proper limits, the taste and texture may suffer. Sodium citrate adjusts the pH to control acidity in carbonated beverages. In highly acidic formulations, sodium citrate raises the pH above 5 to allow for gelification and foam. The correct pH also enhances the shelf life and preservation of products. In ice creams and other frozen desserts, sodium citrate improves the creamy smoothness while inhibiting ice crystal formation.
Buffer
Surprisingly, when the pH is not extremely acidic, sodium citrate acts as a buffer, hindering drastic changes in pH. Stabilization of pH in canning and pickling, even in the acidic range, prevents microbial growth leading to spoilage.
Chelation
In the dairy industry in particular and other industries overall, sodium citrate acts as a chelating agent, stimulating antioxidant function to deter spoilage of products. This sequestration of chemicals is also key to sodium citrate’s molecular gastronomy function: sequestration forms gels without the use of other chemicals, such as calcium.
Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including sodium citrate. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.