A quick-gel mixture is prepared from a liquid mixture and a powder blend.
The liquid mixture is an alginate blended with sugar and solubilized in
water and, optionally, ethyl alcohol. The powder blend is a mix of sugar,
calcium, acids, and sodium citrate, which acts as a sequestering agent to
control the release of calcium. The acids used are a combination of
adipic and glucono delta lactone. The acids being used are
slow-release-type acids and control the rate of gelling. The source of
calcium is calcium glycerophosphate, which is readily soluble in the
liquid phase and reacts with the alginate to form the gel. Granular sugar
is used as a carrier and to solubilize the powder blend mix. To prepare
the final product, the liquid mixture and the powder blend are combined
and shaken for about 15 seconds. The gel sets in approximately 15 to 30
minutes.
