Dissolving AKUCELL®  in processed food

In most preparations of processed food, water is used as the main component. AKUCELL® Cellulose Gum is a hydrophilic colloid, and therefore has a high affinity for water. AKUCELL grades are readily soluble in either cold or hot water. The rate of dissolution increases at higher temperatures. Preferably, AKUCELL is dissolved in water first,  before mixing all other ingredients with this solution. Using this method, AKUCELL resists low pH values and the presence of divalent salts better. Furthermore, the clarity of the solution is improved.

High shear mixing

When making an AKUCELL solution, the particles must be separated before they are fully wetted to avoid lump formation. The recommended method for separating the particles is high shear mixing. A high shear mixer should be placed off center in the container to obtain maximum turbulence. Submerging the agitator blades prevents excessive aeration. The AKUCELL powder should be shifted onto the upper part of the vortex to promote dispersion. The addition should be completed before thickening reduces the vortex. When applying high shear mixing, the dissolution speed can be increased by using an AKUCELL grade with small particle size.

Low shear mixing

Sometimes using high shear mixing is not available. To speed up dissolution without the formation of lumps, low shear mixing should be combined with other procedures. The procedure to be choosen depends on the nature of the food involved. The different procedures are explained in detail below.

• Dry mix AKUCELL with 3-5 times its weight in other dry components such as sugar and flour, before adding the mixture  to the water. When using a sugar syrup, first suspend AKUCELL in the syrup, which should have a ˚ Brix value of at least 65.
  
  
• Suspend AKUCELL first in oil before adding other ingredients. If the food formulation comprises ethanol (min. 50 % v/v) or glycerol, they can be used in the same way as well.
  In case these procedures can not be used for some reason, it is preferred to use a granular AKUCELL grade.
  

 Viscosity