ABSTRACT
Food phosphates are widely applied in processing of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and products derived from them such as prepared, dehydrated soup mixes, quick-cooking beans and other legumes, fresh and frozen vegetables, fruit juices, and jellies, to mention only a few. In general terms, the beneficial effects of phosphates in this group of foods are related mainly to the pH adjustment and buffering capacity of these compounds and to their properties as metal ion chelators. The latter is very important in applications for tenderizing or firming precooked vegetables and legumes, as well as in color protection against damage induced by metal ions present in processing water or in the product itself.
