Konjac (thickener), E425

Description

Konjac E425
A fiber obtained from the rhizome of the konjac plant (Araceae family), used similarly to starch as a thickener and stabilizer – except konjac powder is 8-10 times more effective than starch and does not affect the flavor of the food.

With konjac, you can achieve a thick, heat-stable mass that won’t melt or change consistency when reheated. Due to this property, it’s a highly popular, traditional ingredient in Asian cuisine, used to make a wide variety of dishes like konnyaku, shirataki noodles, desserts, and more. Konjac is also a favorite in molecular gastronomy, as it allows for the creation of diverse textures when combined with other gums or substances. Konjac is used in vegan, low-carb, or low-fat diets to mimic flour, seafood, or high-fat products (e.g., pasta, “crab” sticks or slices, low-fat sausages, etc.).

In cold dishes, konjac thickens, stabilizes, and makes them more homogeneous (smoothies, sauces, ice creams, puddings, pâtés, etc.).

It boosts the effectiveness of starch, allowing you to reduce the amount of calories or carbohydrates in your dishes.

How to use: Mix 1 tsp of konjac into cold water, then add to ~1 cup of hot mass while stirring (similar to making fruit jelly). To avoid lumps, do not add directly to a hot mass; before adding to your dish, always mix it first with a dry ingredient (flour, sugar, etc.) or a small amount of cold water. Sugar, baking soda, calcium (milk), and other thickeners (food gums, starch, agar, carrageenan, pectin, alginates) enhance its thickening properties, while salt and acidity reduce them.

For limited use in food. Maximum allowed dose 10g/kg. In the European Union, it is prohibited for use in jelly confectionery products – life-threatening choking hazard. Do not use in food for infants (up to 1 year old). When using konjac in food, drink plenty of water alongside it so the fiber doesn’t cause constipation as it swells. Do not use if you have an allergy or intolerance.

Compared to other gums:
– capable of forming heat-stable thickened masses
– a master of transformation – allows for the most diverse, varied, and unusual textures when combined with other gums and starches
– enhances and multiplies the properties of starch and other gums when combined – for example, xanthan becomes even more elastic, starch forms an even firmer mass, etc. Best suited for starch-containing or starch-mimicking dishes.