Stabilizers (Including pH Control Agents and Phosphates)

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The continuous availability of food, as a very basic requirement of life, has always been a difficult aspect due to food contamination and decomposition. It is a difficult task for food scientists to make food products available in good condition after harvest and/or processing, storage and transportation to other places from their place of origin. The use of food additives allows food products to maintain their quality during storage as well as improve shelf-life and maintain their palatability and nutritional quality. The role of stabilizers as food additives is becoming crucial in controlling the pH of the product as well as stabilizing the product texture and its structure. These stabilizers are becoming more popular and widely used in various food products and are chosen based on different criteria. Their origin, either natural or synthetic, is one of the most important criteria regarding consumer acceptability. Various physiological and toxicological profiles of these stabilizers have also been studied. This chapter describes the general aspects of food stabilizers and their application in various food products. Further research is necessary to widen their applications and consumer acceptability as well as to determine possible toxicological effects.