Phosphates are mineral compounds that enable a range of internal human processes; they are also widely used as an industrial and commercial preservative. From cakes to cured meats to drinks and more, understanding where phosphates are found can help you better control your blood phosphate levels and your overall health.
Meat Products
Given their propensity to spoil quickly, prepackaged meat products are extremely likely to contain chemical phosphate derivatives. Phosphate derivatives like sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and potassium tripolyphosphate can be found in most canned hams, corned beef and hot dogs. They are also found in most canned seafood products like crab, tuna and frozen shrimp.
Poultry, though seldom canned or prepackaged, is generally washed and cleaned in a solution of trisodium phosphate. This serves to preserve the carcass between the processing plant and the market. Sodium tripolyphosphate is used as an emulsion stabilizer for assorted chicken-based sausage products, meaning it helps the sausage keep its shape and texture.
Beverages
Most mass-marketed beverages are rife with phosphate derivatives. Though primarily used as a preservative, some of these derivatives are what give your favorite soda its distinctive "kick." Most colas utilize a few hundred milligrams of phosphoric acid as an acidulant --- a compound that increases tartness or acidity.
In fruit juices, tricalcium phosphate is used as a nutritional fortifier. Juices not normally rich in calcium or vitamin C are made so by adding this phosphate derivative. Similarly, sports drinks that promise to replenish electrolytes and provide hydration do so via a combination of monopotassium phosphate and monosodium phosphate. If either of those phosphate derivatives sound familiar, they should, as they are salt combinations.
Baked Goods and Pasta
The nature of baked goods and pasta is that they are best enjoyed when fresh. The time constraints imposed on the modern consumer make freshness a secondary concern; phosphates, however, make prepackaged pastas edible and help them retain their texture. The prime phosphate found in most packaged pastas is sodium tripolyphosphate.
For baked goods, which run the gamut from cake doughnuts to baking mixes, the main phosphate derivative is sodium acid pyrophosphate. It is used predominantly as a leavening agent, meaning it enables cakes, pancakes and muffins to rise. Additionally, sodium acid pyrophosphate reduces cooking times and speeds up the baking process.
Member Comments