Okuzeka
Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Ingredients and Additives

Stabilizer

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

/ˈsteɪbəˌlaɪzər/nounCommon term

In food science & technology, stabilizer means: A substance that keeps the physical state of a food stable, for example stopping ingredients from separating, settling or forming crystals during storage.

In Turkish: stabilizör, stabilizatör

How it is used

Used in dairy products, ice cream, drinks and sauces. Many stabilizers are hydrocolloids such as pectin, guar gum, carrageenan and xanthan gum, which also thicken. On ingredient lists they appear by function and name, for example 'stabilizer (pectin)'. The British spelling is 'stabiliser'.

Example sentences

  1. The stabilizer stops the whey from separating in the drinking yogurt.

  2. Ice cream without a stabilizer forms large ice crystals after a few weeks in the freezer.

Common collocations

  • stabilizer blend
  • add a stabilizer
  • hydrocolloid stabilizer
  • emulsifiers and stabilizers
  • emulsifierA substance that helps oil and water mix and stay mixed, as in mayonnaise, margarine, ice cream or chocolate.
  • thickenerA substance that increases the viscosity of a liquid food, making sauces, soups, desserts and drinks thicker without greatly changing their other properties.
  • food additiveA substance that is not normally eaten as a food by itself but is added in small amounts for a technical purpose, such as preserving, coloring, thickening or sweetening.
  • viscosityA measure of how thick a liquid is and how strongly it resists flowing; honey has a high viscosity, while water has a low viscosity.
  • textureThe way a food feels in the hand and mouth, such as hard, soft, crisp, chewy, smooth or creamy, which comes from its physical structure.

More terms: Ingredients and Additives

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: