In the realm of food processing, dried food products have a special place from time immemorial. Drying is an age-old technique of food preservation.
Dried food products are popular among consumers because of their distinct taste as well as their long shelf life. The challenge arises when these dried food products are stored for a long time. The storage conditions for dried food products have to be strictly monitored and maintained otherwise they can become stale. Trehalose also plays a crucial role in enhancing the stability of frozen foods that have low moisture content.
This is where trehalose comes into the picture. Trehalose is a non-reducing sugar found in nature and extracted by food processing industries for its multifunctional properties. One such property of trehalose is its anti-staling and preservative properties in dried food products.
In this blog, you can find relevant information regarding the incredible application of trehalose and how it helps to extend the shelf life of dried food products, trehalose in frozen foods also helps to keep its structure intact.
Trehalose: Basics and Significance
Trehalose is a non-reducing sugar composed of two molecules of glucose linked together by a glycosidic bond. As a result, trehalose does not have a free-reducing end therefore it is a stable compound in high and low temperatures.
Trehalose works as a stabilizer sugar that protects the food molecules from deterioration caused by dehydration, loss of moisture, and reactive oxygen. As a result, trehalose is a stable food ingredient that exhibits preservative properties in dried food products.
1. Moisture Retention :
Moisture loss is a prevalent challenge faced by food technologists while storing dried food products for the long term. Trehalose can help solve this problem with the help of its moisture-retaining properties. Being hygroscopic trehalose can bind with water molecules and retain the moisture intact in the food product.
As a result, the dried food does not undergo any undesirable textural changes during storage. The moisture retention capacity of trehalose helps to protect the dried food from becoming stale and hard. Trehalose in frozen foods helps to retain its moisture intact and protects its structure.
2. Preventing Oxidation:
Oxidation reaction is another challenge to overcome when talking about dried food processing. As the water content of the dried food product is relatively low and thus the concentration of other food components in the food becomes relatively high, there is a higher chance of these food components like fats, oils, or vitamins getting oxidized if they are exposed to air. Trehalose in frozen foods helps protect the frozen product from oxidative reactions and helps maintain its stability.
Trehalose can form a protective layer around the food compound and restrict its reaction with oxygen. Thus preventing dried food products from oxidative rancidity and oxidative deterioration. Trehalose, being an antioxidant, scavenges free radicals and protects lipids and proteins from degradation. As a result, Trehalose works as a preservative in dried products, thus extending their shelf life.
3. Trehalose Enhances Food Stability:
Trehalose helps to improve the stability of dried food products, especially at the time of storage and transportation. Trehalose can form a protective matrix around food molecules or food particles. As a result, trehalose helps prevent the caking or clumping of the dried food.
This ensures that products maintain their integrity, desirable texture, and appearance over time. As trehalose forms a layer around food particles it prevents the formation of lumps in the case of dried powders like spices or herbs and trehalose in frozen foods is also helpful.
Trehalose forms a protective, water-locking layer around the food particles which protects the food from staling and enhances the stability of the dried food, and trehalose in frozen foods helps to maintain its stability.
4. Wide Range of Applications:
The versatile properties and functionalities of trehalose make it suitable for a wide range of dried food products. These include fruits, vegetables, snacks, spices, and herbs. Another application of trehalose is seen as trehalose in frozen foods. Whether it is enhancing the shelf life of the food, or protecting the food from oxidation thus enhancing its stability, trehalose is a food ingredient that has multiple uses and benefits for food processing industries.
Some applications of trehalose in dried foods include dried fruits, spices, snacks like soup mixes and sauces. Trehalose is a valuable food additive that has found its place in the food processing industry owing to its versatile properties.
Conclusion:
Trehalose is a valuable food ingredient in the field of food processing and food manufacturing. Trehalose exhibits multifunctional properties like moisture retention, antioxidant properties, and texture-enhancing properties. The impact of trehalose in food products and on the food manufacturing industry is long-lasting. Trehalose is an ideal food additive for extending the shelf life of dried food products.
It has moisture retention, and antioxidant activity, and enhances stability of the dried food products like herbs, spices, soup mixes, and sauces. It also has textural improvement properties as it protects the texture of the dried product like dried food powder or fruits or vegetables. Thus trehalose helps to maintain the integrity of the food particles protects its texture and extends its shelf life. Trehalose is an incredible food ingredient that helps the dried food last for a longer time.
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