Thickener

Thickening agents, also called thickeners or binders, are usually derived from plants and algae. They are also known as hydrocolloids, which refers to a group of polysaccharides (multiple sugars) that dissolve in water and have a high capacity to gel. Because of their ability to bind water, thickeners are usually added to aqueous solutions to increase their viscosity. Furthermore, they are intended to structure the food, i.e. to provide a pleasant mouthfeel or a certain chewing sensation when consumed. For example, light products often do not have the desired consistency due to the lack of sugar or fat content, so thickeners are often used here to create a creamy consistency.

Since thickeners are indigestible for the human organism, they are classified as dietary fibers.

Thickeners are familiar to every consumer from their own kitchen. In cooking, thickeners such as roux, egg yolk, gelatin or pectins change the consistency of food. Starch is used to thicken sauces. In industrial food production, chemical and natural substances (locust bean gum, guar gum or pectin) are used as thickeners. They are found in jellies, jams, puddings, cheese and meat preparations, mixed drinks, and confectionery and ice cream. Particularly noteworthy are the thickeners modified starches and various cellulose ethers.

Thickeners are not only added to foods, but also to cosmetics, cleaning agents, coatings, wall paints and printing inks, as well as plasters and cement mortars.

On the ingredient list, thickeners are labeled as such (“thickener”) and given the E-number or the name of the specific substance. They are hidden behind the E numbers E 400 – E 468 and E 1400 – E 1451.

The best known representatives of thickeners are:

• Agar-agar – E 406
• Carrageenan – E 407
• Locust bean gum – E 410
• Guar gum – E 412
• Gum arabic – E 414
• Pectin – E 440
• Cellulose ethers – E 461 – E 466, E 468
• Modified starch – E 1400 – E 1451

Some thickeners are suspected to lead to allergy-like symptoms or to promote the development of allergies and trigger allergic reactions. There is evidence that soy allergy sufferers may experience cross-reactions from locust bean gum and guar gum.

The following is a tabular overview of thickeners that can trigger allergic reactions (A).