Sorbitan tristearate is a popular food additive that can be found on the labels of various confectionery products. It is registered in accordance with GOST, which confirms its legality.
At the same time, depending on the modification, it is assigned several numbers according to the thematic classification. Most often, the mention of E492 and E493 is used for marking.
Overview
The presented addition to the food product has several functions at once, which are applied according to the circumstances based on the chosen environment. Often, technologists include it in the product to take advantage of the qualities of the emulsifier. But some confectionery factories have adopted it in order to form foam later, or vice versa – to block its appearance.
From a chemical point of view, the substances are a cocktail of partial esters of sorbitol, along with some constituents of stearic acid. That’s where the name of the plugin comes from.
To obtain the finished product, direct esterification technology is involved, which results in sorbitol anhydrides. Impurities here are not only sorbitans, but also fatty acids with their characteristic salts.
Otherness
There are two types of release form. It is either a solid, wax-like mass or a powder. In the second case, there is no stable color palette, as it will vary from a pleasant light cream tone and a rich yellow-brown shade. Sorbitan received a special aroma, but although it is specific, it can not be traced very clearly.
The mixture begins to harden when the melting point reaches about 50 degrees. A distinctive feature is good solubility in ethers, as well as toluene. But it cannot be dissolved in water and alcohol, but to achieve dispersion in fats and oil is a common thing.
The original substance was obtained exclusively from animal products in laboratory conditions. But since today the chemical industry as part of the food department has advanced a lot, manufacturers have begun to give preference to a genetically modified analogue. To shorten the full correct name, experts use the short form SPAN 65. If a consumer plans to purchase a large amount of an additive, then it can be packaged in almost any container that suits a particular customer.
Most often, special containers for thickeners or bags based on synthetic fabric are used for this. But if there was no such good at hand, then it will fit perfectly: kraft paper bags in several layers, cardboard containers, plastic barrels, aluminum containers.
To minimize the risks of possible damage to the contents, packers usually protect the shipment with a plastic liner.
Application area
If you carefully read the instructions on the label, you will find the already familiar mention of E492 on most of your favorite treats:
- coconut bars, sweets, where you need to replace milk or cream;
- desserts, drinks;
- ice cream.
In the latter case, we are talking only about that cold dessert that is not made from a cream or milk base.
The additive is positioned as a surfactant, which is designed to facilitate food production technology for the mass consumer. In addition, the additive is designed to work on a general improvement in appearance and taste.
Often, it will be possible to find a new generation substance in confectionery factories, where production is flourishing: chocolate, sweets, desserts.
All this requires a cocoa substitute along with a filler like whole nuts or pralines. With the help of a ready-made mixture, it is possible to achieve optimal fluidity, which in the future will protect the surface of the product from possible fat bloom
With the help of an emulsifier, it turns out to promote the formation of a colloidal solution. There is hardly any other way to combine phases that are immiscible with each other while maintaining a uniform distribution of particles, except for using sorbitan in the right proportions.
You can even meet a familiar designation in the list of ingredients for margarine, since without it it will be quite problematic to achieve stable crystallization. Otherwise, the culinary “assistant” will quickly crumble.
Chefs are faced with sorbitan in the fats needed for frying semi-finished products, since only with its help it is possible to achieve the effect of reducing spatter. Do not bypass the additive needed in production and bakery factories, which include it in any flour products. Baking is obtained with a good indicator of gluten strength, and the dough for kneading comes out really plastic.
But the most important point for which the tool is valued is its ability to increase the volume of an already prepared product. If you still cover the donut with icing on top, it turns out that E492 will be both inside the bun and outside. It is sprinkled into fondant to avoid cracking the decorative coating.
Benefit or harm?
It is difficult to call any nutritional supplement useful. They are usually viewed under the prism of whether it is safe or not. Real tristearate does not harm the body, as it belongs to the category of neutral supplements. But this is only on condition that the daily norm is maintained, calculated according to the principle: no more than 25 mg per kilogram of the weight of the eater.