Chitofood: A Natural Food Additive to Replace Borax in Food Processing and Preservation
 |
| Consumers find it difficult to differentiate between rice noodles with or without borax. (Photo: VNN) |
On April 19, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tu, Head of the Pharmaceutical Polymer Department at the Vietnam Institute of Chemistry, announced that in July 2006, the Institute of Chemistry and Thang Long Pharmaceutical and Food Joint Stock Company would produce the first batch of Chitofood additive for commercial sale.
Chitofood is a water-soluble powder additive derived from natural sources that completely replaces borax in food processing and preservation.
Chitofood is produced from shrimp shells, crab shells, and squid mantles. This additive offers all the benefits of borax but is safe and non-toxic for humans. Notably, this additive possesses high antifungal and antibacterial properties, which helps preserve food longer, increases elasticity and crispness, eliminates sliminess, and is priced comparably to synthetic chemicals but requires lower dosages, making it more cost-effective.
Chitofood is effective for various food groups such as sausages, meat rolls, canned meat, fermented pork rolls, rice noodles, steamed rice rolls, pho, fried noodles, instant noodles, sushi, tapioca cakes, ice cream, yogurt, cookies, cream cakes, and packaging for cold foods like sausages.
In 2006, scientists will transfer the production technology of this additive to Thang Long Pharmaceutical and Food Joint Stock Company for industrial-scale production.
The factory is expected to produce approximately 100 tons of Chitofood annually.
The PDP additive has been approved by the Vietnam Food Safety and Hygiene Authority for nationwide production and circulation under quality and hygiene registration number 4377-2003-CBTC-YT dated December 2, 2003.
| Borax is a colorless chemical, easily soluble in water, with antiseptic properties but is highly toxic. When ingested, only about 80% is excreted, while the remaining accumulates in the body permanently. Therefore, using borax in small amounts over an extended period can be as dangerous as consuming a large amount at once. Recognizable symptoms include: digestive disorders, loss of appetite, fatigue, and discomfort. In children, it can lead to malnutrition and delayed cognitive development. Additionally, borax can damage liver cells, shrink testicles, and is considered one of the carcinogenic agents. |
Le Ha
