Ezo scallop moisture-retaining agent

　　Humectants are substances that, when added during food processing, enhance product stability, maintain internal moisture, and improve the food’s texture, flavor, and color. They are ingredients used to help retain moisture in foods, typically phosphates employed in meat and seafood processing to improve moisture retention and stability.

　　Phosphates in meat products help retain water, enhance binding strength, and preserve the nutritional content and tenderness of the meat.

The mechanism by which meat’s water-holding capacity is enhanced is

　　① Increase the meat’s pH, shifting it away from the isoelectric point of meat proteins (pH 5.5).

　　② Chelates metal ions in meat, enabling proteins in muscle tissue to form chelates with calcium and magnesium ions.

　　③ Increasing the ionic strength of meat facilitates the transition of muscle proteins into a loosened, denatured state. ④ It dissociates actomyosin from muscle proteins.

　　In addition to their water‑holding function, phosphates also: prevent cloudiness in beer and beverages; are used to clean eggshells, thereby helping to preserve eggs from spoilage during washing; and, when steaming or boiling fruits and vegetables, help stabilize their natural pigments.

Product Appreciation