Additives
Some popular food additives used in molecular gastronomy:
Deep Freezing
Liquid Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a natural gas. It can be liquified in a plant and is used as such in molecular gastronomy most often to deep freeze foam pieces or to make ice cream.
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Effervescence
Popping Sugar
Popping sugar is sugar containing carbon dioxide so that it pops on the tongue!
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Emulsification
Soy Lecithin
Lecithin is an emulsifier extracted from soy beans, it is used in molecular gastronomy to make any liquid emulsion or for tremendously light or frozen foams.
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Gelification
Agar-agar
An algae extracted, heat-resistant gelling agent, agar-agar is used in molecular gastronomy to make all sorts of gelified shapes : pearls, spaghetti, lentils, prisms, etc.
Carrageenan
Carrageenan is a geling agent extracted from many species of red algae. The texture of the carrageenan gels varies form simple thickening to firm gel. For this reason, carrageenans are used in molecular gatronomy in a vast array of hot or cold dishes of jelly or mousse.
Gelatin
A heat-sensitive gelling agent of animal origin, gelatin is used in molecular gastronomy for a vast array of dishes : entrees, pastries, confectionaries and even cocktails.
Gellan Gum
A gelling agent produced through fermentation of an algae, gellan gum is used in molecular gastronomy to make all sorts of firm-jellied pieces with distinctive shapes.
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Spherification
Calcium salts
Calcium is a mineral salt. In molecular gastronomy, calcium salts are involved in the basic spherification or reverse-spherification processes in reaction with sodium alginate. Sodium alginate indeed needs a source of calcium to form a gel.
Sodium alginate
An algae-extracted gelling agent, sodium alginate is used in molecular gastronomy in association with calcium salts for the basic spherification and reverse-spherification processes, whether to make small caviar-like pearls or large ravioles.
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Thickening
Xanthan Gum
Xanthan gum is a thickening agent produced by fermentation, it is used in molecular gastronomy to thicken sauces and dressings as well as to make fat-reduced, no-ice cream milkshakes that are just as thick.
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Transformation
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is an unsweet sugar that can be flavored in many different ways and then sprinkled over any dish; there are endless possibilities in molecular gastronomy!
Transglutaminase
Transglutaminase is an enzyme that has the property to bind protein rich foods like meat, poultry, fish and seafood, or foods mixed with gelatin. It is thus possible to bind small or irregular cuts of meat into larger pieces in order to allow for even cooking, or for a different presentation style.
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