Ingredient Glossary - C

 

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calcium caseinate:  Calcium caseinate is a protein that neutralizes capsaicin, the active (hot) ingredient of peppers, jalapeños, habaneros, and other chilli peppers. It is also used as a dietary supplement by bodybuilders and other athletes, who ingest it before bed, with breakfast, or as post-work out meal, as it breaks down at a slower rate than whey protein, thus supplying the body with a sustained protein release. It is synthesized from dried skim milk, and is very high in glutamic acid.

calcium lactate: Calcium lactate is a white crystalline salt made by the action of lactic acid on calcium carbonate. It is used in foods (as a baking powder) and given medicinally. It is often found in aged cheeses. In medicine, calcium lactate is most commonly used as an antacid and also to treat calcium deficiencies. Calcium lactate can be absorbed at various pHs and does not need to be taken with food for absorption for these reasons. It is added to sugar-free foods to prevent tooth decay. When added to chewing gum containing xylitol, it increases the remineralization of tooth enamel. It is also added to fresh-cut fruits such as cantaloupes to keep them firm and extend their shelf life.

calcium pantothenate: Other commonly used names are vitamin B 5. It is an antioxidant water-soluble vitamin needed to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

calcium phosphate tribasic: Tricalcium phosphate is used in powdered spices as an anti-caking agent. Calcium phosphate is an important raw material for the production of phosphoric acid and fertilizers. Calcium phosphate is also a raising agent (food additives). It is a mineral salt found in rocks and bones; it is used in cheese products. It is also used as a nutritional supplement. It is commonly used in porcelain and dental powders, and medically as an antacid or calcium supplement. Calcium is necessary for many normal functions of the body, especially bone formation and maintenance. Calcium can also bind to other minerals (such as phosphate) and aid in their removal from the body. 
Before taking this calcium phosphate, check with your doctor if you: 

   
• have had kidney stones 
• have parathyroid gland disease 
• take antacids or other calcium supplements 
• take a tetracycline antibiotic such as tetracycline).

 

Caramel Color: One of the most widely used colors is caramel, the color of burnt sugar. Based on the cooking of sugars and starches. Caramel color is a colloid, a mixture in which solid particles are suspended in water. Manufacturers use colloidal caramel in acidic soft drinks, in beers and soy sauces. Caramel color is an emulsifying agent as well as a colorant. In soft drinks, it helps keep the flavor oils suspended in the solution. It is added to baked goods, to poultry, to milk to give an "eggnog" color, to malt vinegars, canned meats, syrups, and soups, stews, and gravies. 

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Carboxymethyl cellulose: CMC, is used as a viscosity modifier or thickener, and to stabilize emulsions, for instance in ice cream. It is also a constituent of many non-food products, such as K-Y Jelly, toothpaste, laxatives, diet pills, water-based paints, detergents, and various paper products. 
Cellulose gel Cellulose is the structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants. For industrial use, cellulose is mainly obtained from wood pulp and cotton. It is mainly used to produce cardboard and paper; to a smaller extent it is converted into a wide variety of derivative products such as cellophane and rayon. Cellulose is not digestible by humans and is often referred to as 'dietary fiber' or 'roughage', acting as a hydrophilic bulking agent for feces. It’s good for constipation…it’s a good form of fiber. 
Cellulose gum Is one of the most common thickening agents used by the global processed food industry due to its versatility, ease of use and effective cost-in-use. Used to stabilize proteins, retain moisture and form oil-resistant films in a vast variety of food applications.

carrageenan: Extracted from red seaweeds. The name is derived from a type of seaweed that is abundant along the Irish coastline. Gelatinous extracts have been used as food additives for hundreds of years, though analysis of carrageenan safety as an additive continues. 

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• Desserts, ice cream, milk shakes, sauces — gel to increase viscosity 

• Beer — clarifier to remove haze-causing proteins 

• Pâtés and processed meat — Substitute fat to increase water retention and increase volume 

• Toothpaste — stabilizer to prevent constituents separating 

• Fire fighting foam — thickener to cause foam to become sticky 

• Shampoo and cosmetic creams — thickener 

• Air freshener gels 

• Marbling — the ancient art of paper and fabric marbling uses a carrageenan mixuture to float paints or inks upon; the paper or fabric is then laid on it, absorbing the colors. 

• Shoe polish — gel to increase viscosity 

• Biotechnology — gel to immobilize cells/enzymes 

• Pharmaceuticals — used as an inactive excipient in pills/tablets 

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Carrageenan has also been used to thicken skim milk, in an attempt to emulate the consistency of whole milk. It's used in some brands of soy milk, diet sodas.

There is evidence from studies performed on animals which indicates that degraded carrageenan (poligeenan) may cause ulcerations in the gastro-intestinal tract and gastro-intestinal cancer. Consumption of carrageenan may have a role in intestinal inflammation and possibly inflammatory bowel disease, mutations of which are associated with genetic proclivity to Crohn's Disease. 

cinnamon extractives: This extract does not taste like “red hot” candy, but rather like ground spice. The extract contains propylene glycol, alcohol, water and extractives of cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmanii Blume).

Citric acid: Citric acid is a weak organic acid. It is a natural preservative and is also used to add an acidic, or sour, taste to foods and soft drinks. It also serves as an environmentally benign cleaning agent and acts as an antioxidant. Citric acid exists in a variety of fruits and vegetables, most notably citrus fruits. Lemons and limes have particularly high concentrations of the acid. As a food additive it could be made from the black mold, Aspergillus niger, which creates citric acid when it feeds on sugar.  As a food additive, citric acid is used as a flavoring and preservative in food and beverages, especially soft drinks. The buffering properties of citrates are used to control pH in household cleaners and pharmaceuticals. 
copper gluconate Is a copper salt. Dietary supplement -- metabolizable copper to treat copper deficiency. Used to treat acne vulgaris, common cold, hypertension, premature labor. It is toxic in large amounts. Side effects from too much copper gluconate may include breathing problems, chest pain, stomach upset, and rash or hives.

Corn Syrup: A sweetener, thickener in candy, toppings, syrups, snack foods, imitation dairy foods. Consists mostly of dextrose, is a sweet, thick liquid made by treating cornstarch with acids or enzymes. It may be dried and used as corn syrup solids in coffee whiteners and other dry products. Corn syrup contains no nutritional value other than calories, promotes tooth decay, and is used mainly in foods with little intrinsic nutritional value.

corn syrup solids, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup (as well as crystalline fructose) are all made from corn - all are sugar. These ingredients actually interfere with a hormone that tells your brain that you’re full; herefore, it’s very common to overeat on foods that contain HFCS (or even the latter two). The difference with HFCS, corn syrup, and fructose is that they stop the communication between your stomach and your brain until it’s too late and you’ve already overeaten.

cyanocobalamin: One of the Vitamin B12’s, usually does not even occur in nature, and is not one of the forms of this vitamin which is directly used in the human body (or that of any other animal). 

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