Hydrocolloids – Hydro-what!!!!

“Hydro – WHAT???”, is usually the response when I tell friends, family and even strangers about the field I’ve worked in for the last 38 years.

- Dennis Seisun

“Hydrocolloids”, I say, “You’ve probably already eaten some today at breakfast and will probably eat some more at lunch and follow up with a dinner containing hydrocolloids. Your food wouldn’t be the same without them”. “Hydro-Kolloooid!!”, they reply. “That sounds so chemical. I hate what these food companies are putting in my food. All these additives and E-numbers. Why can’t they give me just plain, unprocessed, wholesome and natural foods?” The answer is long and complicated. Most consumers don’t have the time or willingness to hear the full story. It’s easier for them to come to a rapid conclusion based on limited information from superficial sources. My good friend and “Hydrocolleague”, Ross Campbell, CEO of Cybercolloids, was once confronted by a shopper at a Sainsbury’s supermarket who, looking at a food label, turned to him and said “Don’t you hate all these chemicals they put into our food.” I still chuckle and often quote Ross’ off the cuff reply, “Madam, you too are full of chemicals”. And so are you, dear reader, full of chemicals, just as I am, and so is every human on this planet. We’re all “full of chemicals”. Everything on earth, living or not, is a chemical. So, why the consumer concern? Probably it is a case of fear of the unknown and a general suspicion of all processed food. Consumers, until recently, had little knowledge or interest regarding food ingredients and food additives. There has, however, been a paradigm shift in this respect. We are living in an era of dissemination of information (or MISinformation), that is unparalleled in the history of communication. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and countless others have become key information sources. They have also allowed “Instant Experts” to be created, often with little or no in-depth knowledge. As