Anticaking agents

Anhydrous compounds added in small amounts to dry, powdered foods — table salt, baking powder, pudding mixes, grated cheese — to stop particles clumping so the product stays dry and free-flowing. Typical agents include calcium and magnesium carbonates, calcium silicate, magnesium stearate and calcium stearate. They work by mopping up surface moisture and by coating particles to reduce friction and crystal bridging between grains. Permitted levels are low, each agent carries an E-number or regulatory listing, and they must be declared on ingredient lists. Without them, humid storage would turn free-flowing powders into solid bricks.