The use of plant-based hydrocolloids in the food industry

Hydrocolloids, also known by the names gum, resin, mucilage, are substances that have many different functions in foods. These substances are used in the food industry to create the desired consistency in the structure of products, to improve or protect a certain structure. Hydrocolloids perform these functions by homogeneously dispersing between the phases of the food and providing a stable structure to the environment. Under suitable conditions; they serve as emulsifiers, water binders, thickeners, adhesives, gelling agents, encapsulators, coating agents and foam retainers. They are divided into three as natural, modified and artificial gums and are mostly obtained from plant sources. Plant-based hydrocolloids obtained from arabic, karaya, traganth tree secretions; carob, guar, tara plant seeds; alginate, agar, carrageenan obtained from seaweeds are widely used in the food industry. In recent years, the increasing demand of consumers for natural additives has led researchers to turn to natural plant hydrocolloids instead of commercial hydrocolloids. In this study, studies on the techno-functional properties provided by plant hydrocolloids to foods in meat, dairy, confectionery, bakery and cereal products were examined.