Comparing E331 - Sodium citrates vs E339 - Sodium phosphates
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Popular questions
What is e331 in food?
E331 is sodium citrates—the mono-, di-, and trisodium salts of citric acid—used mainly as acidity regulators/buffers, sequestrants, and emulsifying salts in foods like soft drinks and processed cheese.
How are sodium citrates used in molecular gastronomy?
They’re used to adjust and buffer pH, chelate calcium, and act as an emulsifying salt—commonly to make ultra-smooth, meltable cheese sauces and to tune acidity/calcium levels for techniques like spherification and stabilizing foams.
What are sodium citrates degradation byproducts?
Under normal food use they’re stable; with strong heating/combustion they decompose to carbon oxides (CO2/CO) and sodium oxides (and related inorganic residues).
Why does sodium citrates burn?
It isn’t flammable; any “burning” sensation typically comes from irritation of skin, eyes, or mouth at high concentrations due to its mildly alkaline, saline nature, and on heating it decomposes rather than sustaining a flame.
How are sodium phosphates made?
They’re produced by neutralizing food‑grade phosphoric acid with sodium hydroxide, carbonate, or bicarbonate to the desired ratio to yield mono-, di-, or trisodium phosphate, then crystallizing (often as hydrates); condensed polyphosphates are made by dehydrating/condensing orthophosphates at elevated temperatures.
How do saline enema sodium phosphates work?
They act as hyperosmotic salts that draw water into the colon, increasing volume and stimulating peristalsis to trigger a bowel movement; improper use can cause fluid and electrolyte imbalances, so they should be used only as directed.
How does sodium aluminate react with phosphates?
In water, sodium aluminate hydrolyzes to Al(OH)3, which binds phosphate and precipitates it as insoluble aluminum phosphate (AlPO4), especially near neutral pH—this is the basis for phosphate removal in water treatment.
How many meq of sodium does sodium phosphates have?
It depends on the specific salt and hydration: anhydrous NaH2PO4 ≈8.3 mEq Na per gram, Na2HPO4 ≈14.1 mEq/g, and Na3PO4 ≈18.3 mEq/g (hydrates contain less per gram); a typical adult sodium phosphate enema contains about 190 mEq of sodium.
How many sodium phosphates are there?
There are three main orthophosphate salts used in foods—monosodium, disodium, and trisodium phosphate—listed as E339(i–iii), plus various hydrates and condensed (polyphosphate) forms.