Why use citric acid and sodium hexametaphosphate in cheese sauce?
I was watching a YouTube video from ChefSteps on how to make cheese sauce. They used sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate. What are the reasons for including these in the recipe? What are the alternatives to using these ingredients?
Best Answer
Citric acid and sodium hexametaphosphate are often used in processed cheese as emulsifier. These kinds of salts improve the protein's swelling capacity and emulsification and thus inhibits the leakage of water or fat from the product (forms metal complexes). Some salts are also acid buffers. 1 In this wikipedia article (in German, but chemical names are quite similiar to the Engish ones) is a list of possible substitutes of citric acid and sodium hexametaphosphate. Or just look here (in English) for E 325, E 326, E 327, E 331, E 332, E 333, E 339, E 340, E 341, E 450, E 451, E 452.
The receipe of the cheese sauce has the same ingredients of common processed cheese2.
1 Source: Wikipedia: Schmelzsalz. My bad attempt to translate this article :-\
2"Processed cheese [...] is a food product made from cheese (and sometimes other, unfermented, dairy by-product ingredients); plus emulsifiers [note from me: the mentioned salts], saturated vegetable oils, extra salt, food colorings, and/or whey [note from me: or watery liquids like water or milk] or sugar. "
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Quick Answer about "Why use citric acid and sodium hexametaphosphate in cheese sauce?"
Citric acid and sodium hexametaphosphate are often used in processed cheese as emulsifier. These kinds of salts improve the protein's swelling capacity and emulsification and thus inhibits the leakage of water or fat from the product (forms metal complexes).What does sodium citrate do in cheese sauce?
Sodium citrate allows the proteins in the cheese sauce to become more soluble while lowering the pH of the sauce, which creates a smooth emulsion without curdling.What can I use instead of sodium hexametaphosphate?
Photo Engineer. Calgon is now no longer Sodium Hexametaphosphate. Substitute 10 g/l of Disodium EDTA.What does sodium citrate do to mac and cheese?
Sodium citrate allows the proteins in the cheese sauce to become more soluble without lowering the pH of the sauce, which creates a smooth emulsion without curdling. Citric acid will lower the pH level and will result in a soupy or grainy texture instead of a silky emulsion.Can you add sodium citrate to cheese sauce?
Scaling up is easy: Simply maintain a ratio of 85% liquid and 4% sodium citrate, based on the total weight of your cheese. If it looks like this, keep whisking! In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, slowly warm the liquid and whisk in the sodium citrate.Sodium Citrate \u0026 Sodium Hexametaphosphate - Craft Cheese. WTF - Ep. 214
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Answer 2
an alternative to using these ingredients directly is to use common processed cheese as an ingredient, which adds those ingredients already in the common processed cheese
yes, I've done it a lot. works great for making cheese sauce with other cheeses
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