14/11/2018 IDEAS IN FOOD: Fruit Glue

IDEAS IN FOOD

Fruit Glue
While the idea of gluing fruit together may sound novel, it was pointed out that
the process is nothing more than an extrapolation of a fruit terrine. Still, we
find that the ability to layer fruits and vegetables together is really exciting.
Especially when we look beyond using just gelatin, which is the traditional
bonding agent in fruit terrines and only effective at cold temperatures. Instead,
we were inspired by the synergy of hydrocolloids. The first combination of
ingredients we played with utilized the gel which occurs when alginate is
introduced to a calcium. The product, which acted as the catalyst for our ideas,
was designed for gluing meat pieces into uniform blocks, cylinders and whole
new structures. The product consists of two components, one a sodium alginate
and one a calcium lactate. While the idea of using these two ingredients to bind
proteins was interesting we were more excited by its other possibilities: binding
fruits and vegetables.

We tested the theory of using the combination of these two ingredients to glue planks of melon together. The adhesive worked and the
results were a beautiful terrine. Then, we heated the melon terrine. It held, the glue kept the pieces of melon together through the
cooking process. As it turns out the reaction between alginate and calcium is thermo-irreversible. (In fact, we already knew this,
though we did not pay it much attention in the beginning. Remember to pay attention to all the details throughout the process of any
experiment, as it will only save you time and effort.) We were thrilled with the results and equally full of dismay. The dismay was
generated because at that moment we were reliant on a proprietary blend of alginate and calcium to create our bonds. Obviously the
next step would have to be to create our own blend. While we began thinking about the alginate-calcium reaction it dawned on me that
we should try using LM pectin and calcium. We know the reaction forms a thermo-irreversible gel. Also, to our taste, pectin and
calcium seem to form more palate friendly gels. The release of flavor is cleaner and more forward, while the gel itself is delicate and
soft.

With both the alginate and pectin ideas to work with we set about a few tests. I also dropped an email to Wylie to ask for his thoughts
and help in testing our ideas.

I began with what we had in our kitchen, sodium alginate and calcium lactate/gluconate. At times I am my own worst enemy. I was
starting to conduct tests with an unknown alginate and a blend of calcium sources, where I did not know the blending ratios.
Thankfully my attempt at using these ingredients as glue failed and the failure was a whack to the side of my head. With failure leading
the race I set about getting several varieties of sodium alginate, to create a firm strong gel and a medium firm gel. We also needed pure
calcium sources and we looked towards calcium lactate and gluconate. We felt both varieties would be necessary depending on our
applications.

Since I was waiting on alginate and the calcium arrived first, I started working with the pectin. In order to answer a number of our
pectin questions I gave Ted at CP Kelco a call. Thankfully Ted was locked out of his car and had time to discuss our ideas and
approaches. Once Ted answered a few of our questions, we set about applying the idea of fruit glue to pectin. Along the way we had a
few flops, although each failure was successively closer to the desired end result. We were also lucky to have Wylie testing out his
versions in his kitchen and sharing the process, this way we only had to make half as many test runs on our own.

It turns out that both pectin and alginate form bonds which will hold fruit together and which are thermo-irreversible. We found the
alginate bond to be a bit more gel like and slightly stronger than that of the pectin. Yet, the pectin gel is seamless and the flavor of the
gel itself is tasty and has great mouth feel when and if you realize it is there.

As it turns out, the approach to both using the alginate and pectin is quite similar. It seems that the calcium reaction would be at the
root of the similarities. To begin with, we make fruit solutions with .5% calcium lactate or gluconate. The choice of one over the other
is based on taste. The reason for making a flavored solution is to boost the taste of the final gel. Once the solution is made, we vacuum
seal the fruit to be glued in the calcium solution. This impregnates the fruit with calcium. It takes about five minutes for the calcium to
be absorbed by the fruit, after which time we open the vacuum bag and pat the fruit dry. For a LM pectin application we dissolve 3%
pectin in water at 95ºC to hydrate it and then cool it down. Once the pectin is cooled, we brush it on one piece of the calcium infused
fruit and lay another piece on top. Then we vacuum seal the fruit to compress it together and let is rest in the refrigerator overnight.
The following morning when we cut open the bag, we will find that the fruit has been sealed together with a pectin gel. In the case of
the alginate we dust the calcium soaked fruit with sodium alginate and vacuum seal the fruit together. There is enough moisture in the
fruit to hydrate the alginate and allow the reaction of calcium and alginate to occur. Once again we let the fruit rest overnight to allow
the bond to fully occur.

https://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2008/05/fruit-glue.html?cid=6a00d83451f83a69e2017ee6ddd12e970d#comment-6a00d83451f83a69e… 1/4
14/11/2018 IDEAS IN FOOD: Fruit Glue

We are simply at the beginning of what we consider to be a ground breaking idea. While the initial outlook may be just an extension of
a fruit terrine we believe the integration of pectin and sodium alginate as bonding agents for fruits and vegetables is truly remarkable
and the possibilities are endless.

Currently we are also working with these ideas in pureed fruits and vegetables to see what is possible. Time and our imaginations will
see what we come up with next.

Posted on May 03, 2008 at 04:59 PM in Approach to Cooking | Permalink

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Comments

Barzelay said...
I used a novel application of pectin-based "fruit glue" in the last TGRWT event about a month ago. I made pineapple-blue cheese
ravioli. It was very much like your application, but instead of boiling a pectin solution to hydrate it, I just sprinkled the pectin on,
misted it with some water, then torched it to bring it up to temperature. That way the whole process from fruit to glued takes only
twenty minutes or so. http://www.eatfoo.com/archives/2008/04/tgrwt10_my_entry_pineapple_enc.php
Reply May 03, 2008 at 09:00 PM

A.k said in reply to Barzelay...

Hey saw the pics awesome work I'm a culinary arts student In Singapore I'm very much interested in playing with the structure of food
I tried everywhere but just can't find calcium lactate ,sodium alignate and LM pectin it would be of great help if u could help me find a
medium from where I could buy these chemicals thank u very much awaiting for a reply
Reply January 05, 2012 at 07:49 AM

Todd Ruiz said...

That is amazing
with great minds, a solution is always close.
Thanks for the Ideas and imput
Todd Ruiz
Reply May 03, 2008 at 10:47 PM

Orges said...
Great!
We have been using alginates with either calcium sufate or calcium carbonate to bind different foods. We have had some problems with
low pH fruits. The idea of using LM pectin is nice. In fact, there is an indirect used of the same idea we have used, which is the
incubation of fruits with a pectinesterase, which leads to the transformation of the fruit pectin to a LM pectin. Afterwords, the fruit is
impregnated with the calcium salt and sealed together. Nice, but hard to optimize.
Congratulations.
Reply May 04, 2008 at 01:49 AM

chadzilla said...
Would it be possible to glue the fruit to cheese (and would the calcium in the cheese have to be increased)?
How liberally is the alginate 'sprinkled' on to get a nice dispersion and not have gel clumps while still allowing the reaction to hold the
fruits?
Reply May 04, 2008 at 09:31 AM

https://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2008/05/fruit-glue.html?cid=6a00d83451f83a69e2017ee6ddd12e970d#comment-6a00d83451f83a69e… 2/4
14/11/2018 IDEAS IN FOOD: Fruit Glue

Colin said...
Could you dehydrate fruit purees with the calcium and then glue them together?
Reply May 04, 2008 at 03:34 PM

chris said...
Great breakthrough, I have some heirloom melon working right now. I look forward to working with you both in Charlseton. I'll be
staging for the dinner on the 29th. Should be a great experience. I;ll be picking your brains and hopefully contributing some ideas to
your pocket of post it notes.
Reply May 04, 2008 at 10:46 PM

ChefKEF said...
Use the "glue" to seal two leeks sheets together to make ravioli. This past weekend I filled leek sheets with Parsnip puree, blue crab and
vanilla bean for a special.
Reply May 04, 2008 at 10:54 PM

rob said...
Have you tried Activa?It works really well as a bonding agent.I use it to bond duck chorizo to halibut.
Reply May 07, 2008 at 04:41 PM

Jeffje said...
i'm kicking myself for not thinking of this earlier, it's so bloody brilliant and obvious. before becoming a cook, i studied horticulture and
botany, where i learned that pectin is the glue that holds plant cells together. how in the world did i not make the connection when i
started playing with LM pectin and calcium lactate after work?
bloody, bloody brilliant.
Reply May 09, 2008 at 03:28 AM

sygyzy said...
Rob,
IiF has certainly worked with Activa. I believe it is intended for meat/protein applications. Fruits and vegetables are a different matter.
Reply May 09, 2008 at 08:40 PM

adam said...
i am using your 3% lm solution but still not seeing the "sticking" together. is vacuum sealing in a canister a fruit submerged in a calcium
lactate solution of 1% enough to achieve this effect? my first trial run created gel, however the two objects (beets and pears) did not
stick even after vacuum sealing. any suggestions?
Reply December 03, 2008 at 08:09 AM

harald mossle said...

Hi
Have u tried this or with Activa on eggplants? Would like to make the raviolis with this.

Reply December 27, 2012 at 10:59 AM

https://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2008/05/fruit-glue.html?cid=6a00d83451f83a69e2017ee6ddd12e970d#comment-6a00d83451f83a69e… 3/4
14/11/2018 IDEAS IN FOOD: Fruit Glue

Aki and Alex said...

Eggplants are very permeable so the fruit glue should work with them without an issue.
Reply January 02, 2013 at 08:44 AM
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