food preservation

polyphosphates

What polyphosphates are used for and in which foods are found

In the food industry, polyphosphates are used as thickening agents, capable of improving the appearance and consistency of many products such as melted cheeses and preserved meats. In cooked ham and cooked shoulder, in particular, they enhance the softness of the meat by increasing the percentage of retained water. For the same reason, polyphosphates are used in the preparation of various types of cooked cured meats, canned meats, sauces and puddings, while in cheeses they help to improve their spreadability. In addition to enhancing all these characteristics that are particularly appreciated by the consumer, the use of polyphosphates also allows the extra water retained in the food to be monetized.

Mayonnaise, unprocessed, frozen or frozen fish fillets, frozen or frozen shellfish and crustaceans, and some canned vegetable products, represent further possible food products with these substances added.

The category of polyphosphates is quite wide and the various additives that are part of them are commonly indicated by the letters E450, E451 and E452.

Do polyphosphates hurt?

Concerns over the use of polyphosphates concern their interference with the absorption of certain minerals, especially calcium from food. The constant and high consumption of these additives can therefore interfere with the normal process of bone calcification, a particularly serious aspect considering that the major consumers of melted cheeses (the richest source of polyphosphates) are often children and the elderly. Aware of this risk, many industrialists have opted to avoid adding polyphosphates to their products, clearly emphasizing their absence on the label.