Food Additives

Food acidifiers are essential in pastry to adjust the pH of preparations, balance sweetness, preserve fruits, and activate certain chemical reactions:

• Citric acid (E330): the most versatile, see citric acid 1 kg. Uses: jams (gelling, preservation), sour candies, sorbets, glazes
• Tartaric acid (E334): naturally derived from grapes, stronger than citric acid. Uses: homemade baking powders, meringues, stabilization of egg whites
• Potassium tartrate (cream of tartar, E336): traditional leavening agent, stabilizes egg whites and Italian meringues

Typical dosage: 2 to 5 g/kg of preparation depending on the desired effect.

Food gelling agents structure mousses, bavarois, panna cottas, glazes, and dessert inserts. Three main families available:

• Agar-agar: 100% plant-based gelling agent derived from red algae, ideal for vegans. See agar-agar powder 500 g. Activation at minimum 90°C
• NH pectin: natural gelling agent for reversible mirror glazes, see fruit NH pectin 500 g
• Yellow pectin: for professional fruit pastes and jams, see yellow pectin 500 g or pectin 50 g format
• Sheet and powdered gelatin: also see our complete gelatin collection

For professional desserts, combine NH pectin (insert) + sheet gelatin (mousse) + final mirror glaze.

Natural gums are versatile thickeners and stabilizers:

• Tragacanth gum (E413): see Patissland tragacanth gum. Use: strengthen flower paste and gum paste, make solid sugar flowers, stabilize ice creams
• Gum arabic (E414): see gum arabic 20 g. Use: stabilizer for mousses, glaze shine, polish for candied fruits
• Xanthan gum (E415): see xanthan gum. Use: universal thickener, sauces and coulis, essential in gluten-free baking
• Gellan gum (E418): see gellan gum 500 g. Use: transparent gels, advanced culinary technique

Very low dosages: 1 to 3 g/kg depending on recipes.

Chemical leavening agents make dough rise by CO₂ reaction (without fermentation):

• Pure baking powder FunCakes: see FunCakes baking powder 80 g, tartaric acid formulation without phosphate
• Ammonium bicarbonate (E503): see ammonium acid. Use: dry cookies, speculoos, Christmas shortbreads (characteristic crumbly texture)
• Baking soda (E500): simple leavening agent, activated with an acid (yogurt, lemon, vinegar)
• Professional baking powder Sosa: double action for mass production (coming soon in catalog)

Standard dosage: 8 g baking powder for 250 g flour.

Starches act as thickeners and binders in pastry:

• Potato starch: gluten alternative, lightens doughs, ideal for ultra-light sponge cakes
• Corn starch (Maïzena): thickens pastry creams, sauces, coulis. Essential in home baking
• Tapioca starch: for special textures, tapioca pearls, bubble tea
• Modified starch: professional use for industrial doughs with extended shelf life

Typical application: 30 g of starch per 1 L of milk in pastry cream. Also see the base pastry cream in our recipes for exact dosages.

Sweeteners and preservatives:

• Glucose syrup: essential for candies, icings, ganaches, see our FunCakes glucose syrup 375 g
• Invert sugar (trimoline): improves preservation, prevents crystallization
• Dextrose: lowers the freezing point of sorbets, see Sosa dextrose 650 g
• Sorbitol: natural preservative and humectant for long-lasting cakes
• Food antioxidants (ascorbic acid, vitamin C): prevent oxidation of fruits and fats

For professionals, also see the full range in the Sosa Ingredients catalog with over 800 technical references.

Pro method for using foam gelling agents:

• Sheet gelatin: 6 g per liter of preparation. Soak 5 min in cold water, squeeze, dissolve in hot liquid
• Agar-agar: 1 to 4 g per liter. Boil for at least 1 minute to activate
• Pectin NH: 8 to 12 g per liter, mix with sugar before adding to avoid lumps
• Pectin + agar blend: for intermediate textures, ideal in gourmet catering

For iconic desserts, see our Black Forest cake and our three chocolate cake that use these techniques.

Citric acid is the most used additive for preservation and flavor balance:

• Jams and jellies: 1 to 2 g per kg of fruit to activate natural pectin and prevent oxidation
• Sour candies: 5 to 10 g for 500 g of cooked syrup, as a final dusting or mixed in
• Sorbets: 0.5 to 1 g per liter to enhance fruit freshness
• Royal icings: 1 tsp for 250 g for better stability
• Natural preservative: lowers pH and limits bacterial growth

Thickeners allow achieving the perfect texture without overcooking:

• Cornstarch: 30 g per liter for pastry cream, 15 g per liter for fluid coulis
• Potato starch: lighter alternative, 25 g per liter
• Xanthan gum: 1 to 3 g per liter, cold (ideal for gluten-free baking)
• Gellan gum: 2 to 5 g per liter for clear gels
• Starch + xanthan blend: for stable textures in the freezer

Also see our recipes using pastry cream and strawberry coulis recipe for exact measurements.

Chemical leavening agents replace baker’s yeast for quick pastries:

• Pure baking powder: 8 g per 250 g of flour (standard recipe)
• Ammonium bicarbonate: 5 g per 250 g of flour, ideal for dry cookies (speculoos, Christmas shortbread)
• Bicarbonate + acid: 5 g bicarbonate + 100 g plain yogurt for acid-base reaction

See our detailed sheet for FunCakes Baking Powder 80 g with all technical advice.

In cake design, some additives strengthen the durability of decorations:

• Tragacanth gum: 5 g per 500 g of sugar paste to turn it into solid flower paste
• Tylo (CMC): 1 tsp per 250 g of modeling paste for structural reinforcement
• Food glycerin: to soften sugar paste that has become too dry

Combine with our white modeling paste and our white gum paste for professional cake design results.

For pastry shops, food additives allow regular, high-quality, and economical production:

• Consistent texture batch after batch for mass production
• Extended preservation of pastries, entremets, and confections in display cases
• Savings on waste (failed textures, insufficient preservation)
• Access to the same ingredients as starred chefs
• Possibility to offer certified gluten-free, vegan, halal ranges

For cake designers, some additives are essential:

• Adragante gum and Tylo for solid sugar flowers and figurines
• Pectin NH for colored mirror glazes on hidden desserts
• Citric acid to preserve fresh fruits on assembled cakes
• Xanthan gum for ganaches stable during transport
• Sorbitol for homemade sugar pastes that don’t dry out

In starred restaurants, additives open a world of innovative textures:

• Pectin NH and agar-agar for reversible plate glazes
• Gellan gum for transparent gels and gourmet inserts
• Xanthan gum for instant emulsions (espumas)
• Iota-carrageenan for innovative textures (hot gel, brittle gel)
• Soy lecithin for light airs and mousses

For advanced amateurs, these additives open access to chef-level pastry at home:

• Achieve a true mirror glaze like in pastry shops
• Make nougats and soft caramels that don’t harden
• Create multi-layered desserts with precise gelling agents
• Make solid and durable sugar flowers
• Discover technical pastry without professional equipment

All our additives are compliant with European food standards (Regulation EC No. 1333/2008). Several are 100% natural in origin (agar-agar from seaweed, natural tree gums, fruit pectins). Others are minerals or food transformations of natural products (citric acid, bicarbonate). Additives are not inherently dangerous: it is the context (dosage, frequency) that determines their impact.

Each additive has a specific technical function. Refer to our "How to use" accordions above, or consult the individual product sheets for exact dosages. When in doubt, always start with small test dosages before final production.

Not always. Some common equivalence rules:

• 1 g of agar-agar = 4 g of powdered gelatin (but different textures)
• 1 packet of commercial baking powder ≈ 11 g of pure leavening powder
• Xanthan gum and guar gum: interchangeable at equal dosage
• Citric and tartaric acid: tartaric is 25% more potent

For precision recipes (desserts, confectionery), strictly follow the indicated reference.

Most powdered additives keep for 12 to 24 months under optimal conditions:

• Hermetically sealed jars after each use
• Keep away from light and humidity
• Temperature 15-25°C
• Keep away from strong odors

Once opened, reseal immediately after each scoop with a dry spoon.

Several additives are compatible with specific diets:

• Vegan: agar-agar, pectins, natural gums, citric and tartaric acids
• Gluten-free: most pure powdered additives (check label for traces)
• Halal: all except uncertified bovine and pork gelatins (prefer agar-agar or certified halal gelatin)
• Lactose-free: almost all additives are lactose-free

For beginners in technical pastry, here are the golden rules:

• Always weigh with an electronic scale (0.1 g precision for small quantities)
• Start with 50% of the maximum dosage indicated for the first test recipe
• Note the results and adjust gradually
• Never double "by intuition": too much additive makes preparations unpleasant (gummy, metallic)

Absolutely. Technical food additives are the foundation of modern pastry and are used daily by Pierre Hermé, Cédric Grolet, Yann Couvreur, Christophe Michalak. They enable the innovative textures of plated desserts in starred restaurants. Also see the Sosa Ingredients catalog which equips culinary schools Bellouet, Lenôtre, Ferrandi, and Le Cordon Bleu.