If you do not need a custom solution, you might find the information you require in our “Frequently Asked Questions” section.

1. What is the advantage of phosphates in cleaning applications?

Phosphates soften the water to allow better cleaning from surfactants and other ingredients. Sodium tripolyphosphate in particular is a multi-functional ingredient that provides water softening by sequestration, alkalinity, and soil dispersion.

2. What is the meaning of phase content in sodium tripolyphosphate?

Anhydrous sodium tripolyphosphate can exist in two different crystalline forms and this is determined by the process conditions at the time of manufacture. The two forms are referred to arbitrarily as "Phase-1" and "Phase-2." The Phase-2 crystals have almost perfect sodium coordination in their lattice and tend to dissolve slowly in water. Phase-1 crystals, on the other hand, deviate a little from perfect coordination and tend to dissolve faster in water with the release of more energy.

3. What parameters define the various grades of sodium tripolyphosphate?

ICL Performance Products LP produces several grades of STPP, each with a different combination of granularity, density, moisture and phase content.

4. What types of phosphates are available from ICL Performance Products LP?

ICL Performance Products LP makes sodium and potassium salts of orthophosphate, pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate. Also, sodium salts of long chain polyphosphates are produced under the trade name of Sodaphos®, Hexaphos® and Glass H®.

5. What are the differences between orthophosphoric acid and polyphosphoric acid?

While orthophosphoric acid is made up of only individual PO4 units, polyphosphoric acid also includes long-chain polymerized units. A key feature in polyphosphoric acid is the absence of free water and unique reactivity in organic systems.

6. What kind of technical literature is available from ICL Performance Products LP?

ICL Performance Products LP makes available to its customer several technical bulletins and brochures discussing its products and applications. These include bulletins on the chemistry and properties of each of its products, as well as brochures on applications in metal cleaning and treating, water treatment, electronics, detergents, asphalt and many others. Please check the literature section in this site for a comprehensive list of publications.

7. I need assistance in formulating a new product. What kind of help can I get from ICL Performance Products LP?

ICL Performance Products LP technical staff has over 100 years of combined experience in product formulation. They will be happy to assist you in developing your product, from starting formulations, analyses and evaluation.

8. I need assistance in analyzing your product.

ICL Performance Products LP will be happy to share with you the analytical methodology used for each and every one of the parameters listed in the certificate of analyses. Please contact our technical group as described in this site.

9. What is the Neutralization Value of an acid?

Leavening acids usually react with sodium bicarbonate (an alkali) to produce carbon dioxide gas in the batters and doughs of baked products. It is usually the goal for the acids and soda to react completely without leaving an excess of acid or alkali after the reaction is complete. The neutralization value (NV) of an acid is an indication of how much baking soda is required to completely neutralize a given amount of that acid. For example, an acid with a neutralization value of 80 will require 80 grams of sodium bicarbonate to neutralize 100 grams of acid. An acid with a neutralization value of 33 will require 33 grams of sodium bicarbonate to neutralize 100 grams of that acid. Higher neutralization values indicate that less acid will be required; lower neutralization values indicate that more acid will be required for complete neutralization.

10. How are grades of sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) different?

Different grades of sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) are usually designated by a number that indicates the percent of carbon dioxide gas that is released by that acid at the end of an eight minute “dough rate of reaction” (DRR) test. Grades of SAPP with higher numbers will release more carbon dioxide at a faster rate. ICL Performance Products LP can provide six grades of sodium acid pyrophosphates: SAPP RD1 (the slowest), SAPP 26, SAPP 28, SAPP 36, SAPP40 and SAPP 43 (the fastest). The best grade of SAPP to use will depend on the particular application, other ingredients in the product formula, and the type of processing the product goes through. ICL Performance Products LP Bakery Technical Service representatives would be glad to help you select the best sodium acid pyrophosphate for your particular situation.

11. Is there a good “all purpose” leavening acid that can be used for most applications?

There are a wide range of baked products that utilize chemical leavening. Because of differences in flour strength, ingredient proportions, batter viscosity, emulsifier system, etc. it is very difficult to specify one leavening acid for multiple uses. It is always best to create a tailor-made leavening system for any baked product. This will allow the product formulator to use one or several leavening acids to create the exact product characteristics that are required. The ICL Performance Products LP technical group will be glad to help you find the best leavening system for your special product.

12. If an existing formula contains “baking powder”, how do I substitute sodium bicarbonate and specific leavening acids for the baking powder in the formula?

Baking powders are composed of a combination of sodium bicarbonate, a leavening acid or acids and an inert filler such as cornstarch. There are many types of baking powder with different leavening acid combinations that are commercially available. Baking powders all contain about 30% sodium bicarbonate. The amount of leavening acid will vary depending on the neutralization value of the acid. The amount of cornstarch will vary to make a total of 100%. Based on the ingredient label it may be possible to make an educated guess about the composition of the baking powder. ICL Performance Products LP can supply most of the leavening acids commonly used in baking powders. We will be glad to assist in leavening acid selection that will produce a match to your existing product.

13. What is best choice of leavening acid for batters and doughs that must withstand long refrigerated or frozen storage?

The leavening ingredients in unbaked batters and doughs can prematurely react during refrigerated or frozen storage resulting in a loss of product volume and quality during the subsequent bake. LevnLite is one example of a heat activated leavening acid that would resist premature reaction during storage.

14. Why are phosphates added to processed potatoes?

Most dehydrated, refrigerated or frozen potato products are treated with phosphates to prevent discoloration. The phosphates commonly used for this purpose are SAPP NL and TSPP. Discoloration or darkening of processed potatoes results from the presence of small amount of iron in the potatoes. SAPP NL and TSPP effectively sequester or complex the iron so that it is not available for the discoloration reaction.

15. How do I choose the right phosphates for my process cheese applications?

In process cheese making, choose the right emulsifying salts is critical to control the properties of the final products. There are many things to consider when choosing phosphates. However, the amount of calcium that need to be bound and the ultimate pH of the process cheese product are two major factors. In general, under the same condition, stronger calcium binder, such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) will produce a hard, non-melting cheese; while weaker calcium binder, such as sodium aluminum phosphate (SALP), monosodium phosphate (MSP), disodium phosphate (DSP) and trisodium phosphate (TSP) will produce a soft, easy to melt cheese. MSP and TSP are usually used in combination with other phosphates to adjust cheese pH. The desired melting property, pH, cheese flavor, color or shelf life stability could be achieved by choosing the right phosphates. Please contact the marketing technical service for further assistance.

16. What are the benefits of using calcium or magnesium phosphates for mineral fortification in dairy / soy beverages?

Dairy and soy proteins are often sensitive to divalent cations such as Mg 2+ and Ca 2+. Those cations from soluble magnesium or calcium salts will react with proteins to form insoluble complexes and cause precipitate. Additionally, the heat of hydration and the shift in pH by soluble salts will cause further protein denaturation and flavor changes. On the other hand, tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and dimagnesium phosphate (DMP) are insoluble at neutral pH. The addition of TCP and/or DMP will have minimal impact on the stability and flavor of dairy or soy beverages.

17. There are some crystals in my processed cheese, are they phosphates?

Yes, it’s possible. Crystal formation in process cheese can be due to formation of lactates, tyramine, and various DSP hydrates (most likely DSP. 12 H2O). ICL Performance Products LP could help to identify if the crystals are phosphates. Conditions like high cheese pH (above 6.2), low storing temperatures and low water content will favor DSP crystal growth. Better pH controlling and avoiding excessive water evaporation during processing will minimize the crystal formation during storage.

18. My instant pudding does not set, what is the problem?

The major ingredients in a typical instant pudding formula are sugar, starch, milk and phosphates (TSPP and DSP). TSPP will react with the calcium in the milk to form a calcium-pyrophosphate gel and DSP is used to accelerate this reaction. Often time, insufficient calcium in the formulation will cause a setting problem. For example, when whey protein or other proteins that is low in calcium are used to replace whole milk. The addition of calcium salts, such as monocalcium phosphate (MCP) could solve this problem.

If you didn’t see the answer to your question, please email us at information@icl-pplp.com or call (800) 244-6169.