Silicon Dioxide in Solid Beverages: Properties, Role, Safety, and Production | Food Additive Expertise for Anti-Caking and Stability

Introduction to Silicon Dioxide for Solid Beverages Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is a common food additive used in solid beverages. It is a natural compound found in various forms, including quartz and sand. Silicon dioxide is used in solid beverages as an anti-caking agent to prevent clumping and improve flowability. Additionally, it can act as a stabilizer to enhance the shelf life of the product. Silicon dioxide is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by regulatory authorities and is widely used in the food industry.

Definition and Properties

It is a food additive, a white powder that is odorless and tasteless. Mainly composed of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), it has stable chemical properties. It is insoluble in water and acids (except hydrofluoric acid) and remains physically and chemically stable under normal food processing conditions.

Role in Solid Beverages: Solid beverages are a convenient and portable way to enjoy beverages on the go.

As an anti-caking agent, it prevents powder from caking. In solid beverages like coffee powder or milk powder, during storage and transportation, particles tend to stick together. Silicon dioxide can adsorb on the particle surface to form a thin isolation layer, keeping good fluidity and dispersion.

It helps maintain the physical stability of solid beverages. Under different environmental temperature and humidity, it reduces quality changes so that the product can keep a uniform particle state and taste within the shelf life.

Safety

It is a relatively safe food additive. Its use in food is strictly regulated. Food regulatory agencies in various countries have clear regulations on its usage range and maximum amount. Within the specified usage amount, it poses no harm to human health as it's hardly absorbed in the digestive system and will be excreted with feces.

Production Process and Quality Standards

Production Process: It's usually produced by the precipitation method or the gas-phase method. The precipitation method involves reacting sodium silicate with acid, followed by steps like precipitation, filtration, washing, and drying. The gas-phase method uses silicon tetrachloride to react with hydrogen and oxygen at high temperatures. For the one used in solid beverages, fine grinding and sieving are also needed to meet the particle size requirements for production.

Quality Standards: Quality standards include purity requirements. The content of silicon dioxide is usually required to be above 99%. There are strict limits on heavy metal contents like lead and arsenic, which must be kept at extremely low levels to ensure food safety. Also, particle size is an important quality indicator as different solid beverages may need silicon dioxide within different particle size ranges for the best anti-caking effect.