Maltol (E636) is a food additive that improves the taste of foods. This product is often used in baked bread, cakes, etc. While it is considered safe, some are convinced that it has potentially harmful health effects.
Maltol is a white crystalline powder that is soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water. With a sweet candy and caramel flavor, this dietary supplement finds use in products that require a combination of fruit flavors including strawberry and pineapple and other flavors such as candy, cake, caramel and chocolate.
Maltol is a natural organic compound that is mainly used as a flavor enhancer. It is found in larch bark, pine needles, and roasted malt (from which it takes its name).
Maltol has a taste and smell reminiscent of freshly baked bread and is used as a flavor enhancer in breads and cakes.
physical properties
White crystalline powder with peanut caramel flavor. pH 5,3. slightly acid reaction. May be sensitive to prolonged exposure to light and air. Somewhat soluble in water at room temperature. Freely soluble in hot and slightly soluble in cold water.
Reacts with bases. May react with reducing agents. Made from larch bark, pine needles, chicory wood, oils and roasted malt; and also it can be synthetically synthesized.
E636 is best avoided by such population groups: newborns, children under 6 months old, pregnant women, and people with increased individual sensitivity to maltol.
Scope
Maltol is used in many foods as a flavor enhancer. It provides distinctive flavors in baked goods and cooking, giving baked goods the smell of “freshly baked” bread. Also used as a sweetness enhancer in confectionery and chocolate products, desserts and drinks.
It is used for the production of substitutes for chocolate, ice cream, jam and carbonated drinks. By adding small amounts of maltol, 15 percent of the sugar can be saved. It is used in various food products as a flavoring agent and flavor enhancer to impart an intense caramel flavor.
Also, maltol is added to animal feed, and performs the same function there as in human food – that is, it enhances the taste of the feed. Maltol added to the feed of all animal species is safe at normal use levels of 5 mg/kg of feed. The high level of use of the drug – 25 mg / kg is safe for all types of animals except piglets, fattening hens, laying hens and cats.
The researchers also determined that at this level of use, maltol does not pose an environmental hazard, that is, it does not affect the pollution of ground and fresh water.
Possible side effects
E636, at recommended doses, is generally considered a safe ingredient. Possible side effects, when used in large quantities, may be:
- flatulence;
- constipation;
- diarrhea.
Recognized as Safe GRAS is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which states that chemicals or substances added to food are considered safe by professionals and are therefore exempt from normal federal food, drug, and cosmetic law.
At standard concentrations, maltol has no negative effects on the human body, the daily dose is 1,4 grams per kilogram of weight. Also, some researchers say that the impurities that make up maltol can have negative side effects, these impurities can form during the production process.
Another negative effect of maltol on the human body is that it is a flavor enhancer, that is, if there is maltol in the product, a person eats more food than he needs.
Also, due to the fact that maltol has a strong taste and smell, some unscrupulous manufacturers can use it to mask the taste in products that have already expired.
In large quantities, the supplement can help aluminum build up in the brain, which contributes to Alzheimer’s disease. Lactose (from cow’s milk) is sometimes used in the production, so it should be avoided by vegans.
Some countries ban maltol for infants and young children, because, according to researchers, maltose can cause side effects in the form of hyperactivity, asthma, urticaria, insomnia.
Since this substance is not suitable for children under the age of six months, pregnant and lactating mothers are also advised to avoid it.
Useful Properties
It is known that maltol has antioxidant properties and can be used in the pharmaceutical industry and in medicine, it also has anti-radical properties.
For medicinal purposes, maltol is used, obtained from the processing of green fir. Maltol is used in the manufacture of medicines to enhance their action.
Maltol is a food additive approved for use in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. And, when used in proper amounts, there is no need to worry about its harmful properties.