Comments on: First experiments with sodium alginate http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/ - dedicated to molecular gastronomy Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:21:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Joshua http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-190663 Joshua Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:13:13 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-190663 Joe, the alginate blend should be at least 2% weight by volume. So use 2 grams of Na-Alginate in 100g water. You dont even need to use a blender to dissolve it. At about 40 degC and continuous stirring, alginate will dissolve in about 20-30 minutes. There will be less bubbles hence, less waiting time. Also the calcium chloride drop should also be at least 2% (w/v). Hope this helps Joe,

the alginate blend should be at least 2% weight by volume. So use 2 grams of Na-Alginate in 100g water. You dont even need to use a blender to dissolve it. At about 40 degC and continuous stirring, alginate will dissolve in about 20-30 minutes. There will be less bubbles hence, less waiting time.

Also the calcium chloride drop should also be at least 2% (w/v).

Hope this helps

]]> By: Joe Forrest http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-189505 Joe Forrest Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:52:05 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-189505 I tried to make spheres from soy sauce using the following formula: 1 g sodium alginate 100 g water 25 g soy sauce 1.25 g calcium chloride 250 g water I combined the alginate and eater, mixed well with an immersion blennder, waited several hours, added the soy sauce to the solution. then prepared the calcium chloride bath. When I injected the alginate solution into the bath nothing happened. This was my first attempt at this and I don't know if my formula is bad, is soy is not a good substance for this process or if my scale was inaccurate. Can someone review the above and give me dome idea as to where I went wrong. I tried to make spheres from soy sauce using the following formula:
1 g sodium alginate
100 g water
25 g soy sauce
1.25 g calcium chloride
250 g water

I combined the alginate and eater, mixed well with an immersion blennder, waited several hours, added the soy sauce to the solution. then prepared the calcium chloride bath. When I injected the alginate solution into the bath nothing happened. This was my first attempt at this and I don’t know if my formula is bad, is soy is not a good substance for this process or if my scale was inaccurate.
Can someone review the above and give me dome idea as to where I went wrong.

]]> By: Martin Lersch http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-179819 Martin Lersch Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:11:10 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-179819 If the chemists have some biochemical training they might actually have heard about alginate beads gelled with calcium. Amongs many things such beads are used to immobilize microorganisms such as yeast. Anyhow - if your local supplier is too expensive, why not order from someone else on this list: http://blog.khymos.org/links/suppliers/ If the chemists have some biochemical training they might actually have heard about alginate beads gelled with calcium. Amongs many things such beads are used to immobilize microorganisms such as yeast.

Anyhow – if your local supplier is too expensive, why not order from someone else on this list: http://blog.khymos.org/links/suppliers/

]]> By: South African Novice http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-179807 South African Novice Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:45:18 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-179807 Thanks Martin... wish you could have seen the face of the assistant at the chemists here... I am sure they did not know whether I wanted to use it or sniff it! I found guar gum... can I replace that for the alginate? In the meanwhile I have discovered a distributor for Texturas in South Africa, but they charge a king's randsom for the product... Thanks Martin… wish you could have seen the face of the assistant at the chemists here… I am sure they did not know whether I wanted to use it or sniff it!

I found guar gum… can I replace that for the alginate?

In the meanwhile I have discovered a distributor for Texturas in South Africa, but they charge a king’s randsom for the product…

]]> By: Martin Lersch http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-179709 Martin Lersch Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:28:15 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-179709 You could try. If it doesn't ring any bells you may also ask for "sodium alginate" which is more correct. There are branded names as well: Algin (from Texturas), Algizoon (from texturePro), Gelesfera A (from Sosa) - just to mention a few. You could try. If it doesn’t ring any bells you may also ask for “sodium alginate” which is more correct. There are branded names as well: Algin (from Texturas), Algizoon (from texturePro), Gelesfera A (from Sosa) – just to mention a few.

]]> By: South African Novice http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-179694 South African Novice Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:26:34 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-179694 Hi there folks!! Is there a commercial name for alginate, or do I just walk into the pharmacy and ask for alginate? Thanks! Philip Hi there folks!!

Is there a commercial name for alginate, or do I just walk into the pharmacy and ask for alginate?

Thanks!

Philip

]]> By: Martin Lersch http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-168597 Martin Lersch Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:03:57 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-168597 Matt: Yes - you should be able to heat it carefully. The calcium-alginate gel is heat stable. Matt: Yes – you should be able to heat it carefully. The calcium-alginate gel is heat stable.

]]> By: Matt http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-168582 Matt Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:44:32 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-168582 I am new to all this science stuff so please bear with me... I am interested in using spherification in order to create a starter and wondered.... once made are you able to gently heat an 'orb' of liquid?? Maybe in a low temp water bath?? Maybe I am one the wrong path and need to use another method to achieve the same goal?? I am new to all this science stuff so please bear with me…

I am interested in using spherification in order to create a starter and wondered…. once made are you able to gently heat an ‘orb’ of liquid?? Maybe in a low temp water bath??

Maybe I am one the wrong path and need to use another method to achieve the same goal??

]]> By: Chef Stella http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-164569 Chef Stella Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:36:51 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-164569 So so cool. Thanks for the recipes, ideas, and science. Was watching an old "Iron Chef" with Chef Cantu from Moto.....challange beets....it was the Iron Chef that used this tech however to make faux salmon roe. Just stepping into the molecular ring and this sounds like it is going to be fun. So so cool. Thanks for the recipes, ideas, and science. Was watching an old “Iron Chef” with Chef Cantu from Moto…..challange beets….it was the Iron Chef that used this tech however to make faux salmon roe.

Just stepping into the molecular ring and this sounds like it is going to be fun.

]]> By: Robert http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/comment-page-2/#comment-164147 Robert Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:14:35 +0000 http://blog.khymos.org/2007/03/30/first-experiments-with-sodium-alginate/#comment-164147 Martin, apologies for the "necromancy" of an old thread. You advise to use trisodium citrate to adjust pH in acidic juices (btw, its page 52 in your pamphlet, not 45 ;) ). Are there easy substitutes? I have no idea where to find trisodium citrate here in the UK. Thanks Robert Martin, apologies for the “necromancy” of an old thread.

You advise to use trisodium citrate to adjust pH in acidic juices (btw, its page 52 in your pamphlet, not 45 ;) ). Are there easy substitutes? I have no idea where to find trisodium citrate here in the UK.

Thanks

Robert

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