Calcium Chloride CaCl2 Powder CAS 10035-04-8

Food

In the food industry, calcium chloride is frequently employed as a firming agent in canned vegetables, particularly for canned tomatoes and cucumber pickles. It is also used in firming soybean curds into tofu and in producing a caviar substitute from vegetable or fruit juices. ^[17] It is also used to enhance the texture of various other products, such as whole apples, whole hot peppers, whole and sliced strawberries, diced tomatoes, and whole peaches.

The firming effect of calcium chloride can be attributed to several mechanisms:

1. Complexation, since calcium ions form complexes with pectin, a polysaccharide found in the cell wall and middle lamella of plant tissues.
2. Membrane stabilization, since calcium ions contribute to the stabilization of the cell membrane.
3. Turgor pressure regulation, since calcium ions influence cell turgor pressure, which is the pressure exerted by the cell contents against the cell wall.

Calcium chloride's freezing-point depression properties are used to slow the freezing of the caramel in caramel-filled chocolate bars. Also, it is frequently added to sliced apples to maintain texture.

In brewing beer, calcium chloride is sometimes used to correct mineral deficiencies in the brewing water. It affects flavor and chemical reactions during the brewing process, and can also affect yeast function during fermentation.

In cheesemaking, calcium chloride is sometimes added to processed (pasteurized/homogenized) milk to restore the natural balance between calcium and protein in casein. It is added before the coagulant.

Calcium chloride is also commonly used as an "electrolyte" in sports drinks and other beverages, including bottled water.

The average intake of calcium chloride as food additives has been estimated to be 160–345 mg/day. Calcium chloride is permitted as a food additive in the European Union for use as a sequestrant and firming agent with the E number E509. It is considered as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Its use in organic crop production is generally prohibited under the US National Organic Program.

Calcium chloride contains approximately 27.2% or 272 mg of elemental calcium per gram. This means that for every gram of calcium chloride, there are 272 mg of actual, absorbable calcium. Calcium chloride has a very salty taste and can cause mouth and throat irritation at high concentrations, so it is typically not the first choice for long-term oral supplementation (as a calcium supplement). Calcium chloride, characterized by its low molecular weight and high water solubility, readily breaks down into calcium and chloride ions when exposed to water. These ions are efficiently absorbed from the intestine. However, caution should be exercised when handling calcium chloride, for it has the potential to release heat energy upon dissolution in water. This release of heat can lead to trauma and burns in the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. In fact, there have been reported cases of stomach necrosis resulting from burns caused by accidental ingestions of big amounts of dry calcium chloride.

The extremely salty taste of calcium chloride is used to flavor pickles without increasing the food's sodium content.

Calcium chloride is used to prevent cork spot and bitter pit on apples by spraying on the tree during the late growing season.