Thickening agents, or
thickeners, is the term applied to substances which increase the
viscosity of a solution or liquid/solid mixture without substantially modifying its other properties; although most frequently applied to foods where the target property is
taste, the term also is applicable to
paints,
inks,
explosives, etc. Thickeners may also improve the
suspension of other ingredients or
emulsions which increases the stability of the product. Thickening agents are often regulated as
food additives and as
cosmetics and
personal hygiene product ingredients. Some thickening agents are
gelling agents, forming a
gel, dissolving in the liquid phase as a
colloid mixture that forms a weakly cohesive internal structure. Others act as mechanical
thixotropic additives with discrete particles adhering or interlocking to resist
strain.