Although inorganic calcium salts are cheap, they are rarely used in beverages. The use of organic calcium salts, such as calcium citrate, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, and calcium lactate gluconate, is generally favored in beverages, mainly because organic calcium salts are soluble. In beverages, soluble calcium salts can act as emulsifying or stabilizing. Some calcium salts are also good buffers in dairy products or protein-containing products. In particular, mixed calcium salts can eliminate any adverse effects of insoluble calcium salts because of their good solubility. In order to obtain the highest buffering capacity, different calcium salts are combined in a certain proportion so that precipitation can be avoided during food processing. In some cases, calcium salts are added to protein drinks as nutritional supplements. Precipitation occurs, causing quality problems due to the protein in the beverage. When heated, the protein chains sequester free calcium ions in the solution causing coagulation. It is necessary to adjust the pH of the beverage and add a chelating agent. The chelating agent can protect the calcium ion from the protein chain. Calcium citrate can be used as a chelating agent, and sodium citrate or potassium citrate is the most commonly used chelating agent. In cereals, calcium sulphate is also often used as a chelating agent, which utilizes the versatility of the sulfate group.
For different products, different soluble calcium should be selected according to the properties of raw materials and products. Otherwise, the calcium salt added will react with the components of the product, and there will be precipitation or other flavor problems. For example, the reaction of calcium lactate to protein molecules will be precipitated from dairy products.
Calcium carbonate is insoluble, it will precipitate in the beverage, but by adding calcium lactate and dicalcium phosphate as a buffer, calcium carbonate will not precipitate out.
Calcium Bioavailability There are many variables in determining calcium bioavailability. For example, at high processing temperatures, calcium in cereals and vegetables is sequestered, and the counteraction is reduced and bioavailability is reduced. When the amount of calcium in the final product is constant, the bioavailability of calcium decreases. Other factors also affect the absorption of calcium. When calcium carbonate is eaten with meals, its bioavailability is the best, and its bioavailability may not drop sharply when it is not eaten together with meals.
Soluble calcium salts are generally considered to have a higher bioavailability because this calcium salt has a higher side effect and is more easily absorbed in the intestinal tract.
Studies have found that the addition of oligosaccharides helps to increase calcium absorption. Now the international food industry has been applied, such as short-chain oligofructose has been used in dairy products and soy products to improve calcium absorption. In addition, inulin has also been shown to promote calcium absorption.
Lactate Calcium Gluconate,calcium lactate are pure natural fermentation product. They are white to milky white crystalline powder or granules,odorless, slightly weathered, and easily soluble in hot water. Both are not soluble in ethanol, ethyl ether and chloroform. Calcium lactate, calcium lactate gluconate have the following characteristics:
1.High solubility:
At room temperature, for the level of solubility, lactate calcium gluconate > calcium lactate > calcium citrate > calcium gluconate > calcium phosphate > calcium carbonate.
2.Good taste:
Calcium salts usually have bitter taste, but calcium lactate and calcium lactate gluconate are more sensitive to calcium than other calcium salts. Threshold is the lowest concentration of taste for a substance. The higher the threshold, the harder it is to feel bitterness.
3 .The content of calcium is high.
4.The bioavailability is high, and the calcium absorption rate of human body is: lactic acid calcium gluconate > calcium lactate > calcium gluconate > calcium carbonate > calcium phosphate.
5.The stability is good: the molecular weight of lactic acid is small and the stability is good. It is relatively stable under different processing conditions. The reaction of the lactic acid root and other components will not be precipitated, and the quality of the product is not affected.
6.The effect of calcium ion is obvious: calcium lactate and calcium lactate gluconate contain calcium ions. As two valence ions, calcium ions can form a connecting bridge between organic macromolecules, strengthen the interaction between organic macromolecules, and enhance the brittleness of pickles.
The use of calcium lactate and calcium lactate gluconate
1.Because of them good solubility and taste and no precipitating reaction with other substances, both products are widely used in milk products and various beverages, such as milk powder, liquid milk, lactic acid beverage, fruit and vegetable, protein beverage, and the strengthening effect of calcium
2.For biscuits, cereal, and all kinds of rice noodle, the nutritional strengthening of calcium elements, such as bread, steamed bread, rice, noodles, rice cake, snow cake, convenient food, puffed food and various cookies and pastry food, has the effect of strengthening calcium and protecting teeth.
3, For calcium tablets, calcium granules and calcium supplement oral liquid, the advantages are high solubility, good taste, high body absorption and utilization rate, no toxic side effects.
4. As a result of high solubility, calcium lactate, calcium lactate calcium can provide high concentration of calcium ions, and calcium ions have strong bridge effect, so calcium lactate is an excellent binder.
5. Curing agent and embrittlement agent: with calcium lactate, calcium lactate calcium has a high solubility and can provide high concentration of calcium ion. Calcium ion can form a structural bridge between phospholipid molecules. The phospholipid molecules are joined together to stabilize the membrane structure. At the same time, calcium can also bind to the membrane proteins of plant cells, reduce cell membrane permeability and prevent cell exosmosis. As a result, calcium lactate and calcium lactate are used as curing agents and embrittlement agents for the processing and preservation of fruits, vegetables and pickles to reduce the loss of the curing substance and maintain the character and increase the brittleness.
6.Calcium lactate, calcium lactate gluconate can reduce the activity of water in the product, lactic acid root ions can enter the cell to inhibit and destroy the metabolism of microorganism, so calcium lactate can inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria and prolong the holiday of products.