Which option lists carbohydrate thickeners?

Which option lists carbohydrate thickeners?

• A. Gelatin, Egg Yolk, Casein
• B. Sorbitan Esters
• C. High-Molecular Weight Alcohol
• D. Acacia, Pectin, Tragacanth, Agar, Microcrystalline Cellulose

Answer: (D)

Carbohydrate thickeners are hydrocolloids— polysaccharide gums that hydrate and swell in water to form viscous solutions or gels, helping to increase the viscosity of liquids like syrups and suspensions. In this set, acacia (gum arabic), pectin, tragacanth, and agar are classic plant-derived carbohydrate thickeners that create thickening by forming a network in water. Microcrystalline cellulose is not a primary thickener (it’s a cellulose-based filler/disintegrant), so its inclusion doesn’t change the fact that the others are true carbohydrate thickeners. The other options mix proteins or surfactants, which don’t serve as carbohydrate thickeners.

Carbohydrate thickeners are hydrocolloids— polysaccharide gums that hydrate and swell in water to form viscous solutions or gels, helping to increase the viscosity of liquids like syrups and suspensions. In this set, acacia (gum arabic), pectin, tragacanth, and agar are classic plant-derived carbohydrate thickeners that create thickening by forming a network in water. Microcrystalline cellulose is not a primary thickener (it’s a cellulose-based filler/disintegrant), so its inclusion doesn’t change the fact that the others are true carbohydrate thickeners. The other options mix proteins or surfactants, which don’t serve as carbohydrate thickeners.