- Anticaking agent
Anticaking agents are used in such things as table
salt to keep the product from forming lumps, making it better for packaging, transport, and for the consumer.An anticaking agent in salt is denoted in the ingredients for example as "anti-caking agent (554)", which is
sodium aluminosilicate , a man-made product. This product is present in many commercial table salts as well asdried milk s, egg mixes,sugar products, andflour s. In Europe,sodium ferrocyanide (535) andpotassium ferrocyanide (536) are more common anticaking agents in table salt. Natural anticaking agents used in more expensive table salt includecalcium carbonate andmagnesium carbonate .Some anticaking agents are
soluble inwater , others are soluble inalcohols or otherorganic solvents. They function either byadsorb ing excess moisture or by coating particles and making them water repellent.Calcium silicate (CaSiO3), a commonly used anti-caking agent, added to e.g. table salt, adsorbs both water and oil.Anticaking agents are also used in non-food items such as road salt, fertilisers and cosmetics, and in manufacturing applications.
List of anticaking agents
The following anticaking agents are listed in order by their
E number .
* E500Sodium bicarbonate
* E535Sodium ferrocyanide
* E536Potassium ferrocyanide
* E538Calcium ferrocyanide
* E542Bone phosphate
* E550Sodium silicate
* E551Silicon dioxide
* E552Calcium silicate
* E553aMagnesium trisilicate
* E553bTalcum powder
* E554Sodium aluminosilicate
* E555Potassium aluminium silicate
* E556Calcium aluminosilicate
* E558Bentonite
* E559Aluminium silicate
* E570Stearic acid
* E900Polydimethylsiloxane
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