sequestrant
sih-KWES-truhnt
/sɪˈkwestrənt/
A food additive which improves the quality and stability of food products by forming chelates with metal ions.
It 'traps' minerals like iron or copper so they can't react with other ingredients and cause spoilage or discoloration.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'sequestrare', meaning to place something in the hands of a trustee. In chemistry, the sequestrant acts as the 'trustee' that grabs onto metal ions and keeps them 'sequestered' (locked away) so they can't cause the food to go bad.
Word relationships
- chelating agent: 'Chelating agent' is the broader chemical term; 'sequestrant' is the term used specifically when these chemicals are added to food.
Commonly confused with
- preservative: A sequestrant is a type of preservative, but it works specifically by binding minerals rather than killing bacteria.
Word family
- sequester (verb): To isolate or hide away.
- sequestration (noun): The action of sequestering.
Collocations
- metal sequestrant
- chemical sequestrant
- sequestrant agent
Example sentences
- "EDTA is used as a sequestrant in canned beans to prevent the trace metals in the water from discoloring the vegetables." Canned vegetable processing.
- "Sodium phosphates act as a sequestrant in processed cheese to keep the fats and proteins from separating when melted." Dairy science.
Memory hook
A SEQUEST-rant puts metal ions under 'SEQUEST-ration' (house arrest). The mineral trap.
When not to use
Do not use in general cooking; this is a highly technical term for industrial food science.
Fun facts
- Without sequestrants, many canned foods would turn an unappetizing grey or brown color due to reactions with the metal of the can.
- Sequestrants are also used in water treatment to prevent 'hard water' minerals from building up in pipes.
Related words
Explore more words
shelf-stable, sequester, fortified, sequestration, spoilage, traceability
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