Polyglycerols and Polyglycerol Esters as Potential Water Activity Reducing Agents, Chemistry and Sensory Analysis

The development of commercially acceptable intermediate moisture foods for human consumption depends on the use of efficient, safe, and palatable water vapor pressure reducing compounds. Many of these humectant substances act through different mechanisms of “binding” water, thus and restricting the availability of water for microbial growth. In general, the materials used today belong in the categories of salts, sugars, and polyols, with the latter offering particular promise (12, 26). In practice, considerable use has been made of glycerol and propylene glycol, which in general, have a deleterious effect on taste characteristics (burning sensation, etc.) of the food product. Other compounds, such as sucrose, corn syrup, sorbitol and dextrose, are restricted to formulations where sweetness is desirable.