We previously wrote in our Research Blog about defoamers and their use in decorative paints. In this article we will see how defoamers also have an important application in the food industry and in particular in the processing of vegetables.
The appearance of foam is not always wanted in the treatment and processing of food, as it can drastically reduce the efficiency of production processes or even seriously damage some elements of the production facilities. For this reason, it is often necessary to incorporate anti-foaming agents that destabilize the formation of air bubbles.
When selecting a defoamer for foodstuffs, it is necessary to be aware of whether it can be considered a processing aids or it must meet the requirements of a food additive. In the first case, the defoamer is removed carefully and does not form part of the final product, whereas in the second, it is incorporated as an ingredient in the end product and it can be eaten.
If we focus on the processing of vegetables and fruit, there are some stages where a defoamer could be considered as a processing aids as it is easily removed at the end of the process, as in the case of washing potatoes, vegetables and fresh fruit, and others in which it clearly has to meet the requirements of a food additive because it becomes part of the food, as in the case of the production of juice, stock and jam.
Moreover, there are some examples, such as the production of frozen vegetables, in which it is not easy to make this distinction because the defoamer is not added directly to food but used in blanching baths. In these cases, Concentrol recommends using defoamers suitable as food additives, as the high temperature the vegetables are subjected to during these blanching or cooking processes means they can absorb some of the bath water and all the additives it contains. Therefore, even though they are subjected to a final rinsing process, part of the defoamer may have penetrated into the vegetables and it cannot be completely eliminated.
For these and other applications that require the use of a defoamer suitable as a food additive, the team of professionals at Concentrol developed the product EMULTROL DFM DV-14 FG.
This defoamer consists of an aqueous emulsion of food grade silicone (E-900) specifically formulated to meet the European and American regulations on the use in direct contact with food. If particular requirements such as Kosher and Halal certifications are needed, the appropriate reference is EMULTROL DFM DV-14 FGK.
Regulations met by EMULTROL DFM DV-14 FG (direct food contact):
EUROPEAN: EU Regulation No 1333/2008 and subsequent amendments Nº 1129/2011 and 1130/2011.
US: Title 21 CFR (FDA): 173,340
Concentrol has over 75 years of experience in designing, manufacturing and marketing of specialty chemicals, always committed to quality, innovation and cutting-edge technology to provide the best possible solutions for each client.
Contact us if you want more information about our food anti-foaming agents.
