In , Sodium Alginate and Calcium Chloride are combined to create spheres, caviar, pearls or ravioli. Sodium Alginate, a natural product is derived from the cell walls of brown algae. It is used in the cooking world as a , to increase the viscosity of liquids and as an emulsifier. is a compound of calcium and chlorine. It is a salt that is solid at room temperature and is highly soluble in water. The use of in the cooking world allows for the concept of spheres or pearls. The idea being that a liquid is thickened with sodium alginate and submerged in a bath of calcium chloride to create spheres, which is what is known as spherification. is an incredible process. At times the use of sodium alginate and calcium chloride can be reversed depending on the other ingredients being used. For instance, a calcium rich solution of olive juice will benefit from the addition of a salty calcium chloride solution and a sodium alginate bath, whereas a sweeter fruit juices best practice is to use the calcium chloride as a bath and not a component of the sphere. Because calcium chloride tastes very salty and is used as an ingredient in some foods, especially pickles, to give a salty taste while not increasing the food's sodium content. Calcium Chloride can also be a compound you would use in sports drinks as an electrogyte, or in the production of many cheese varieties such as . Both sodium alginate and calcium chloride can be applied in many cooking situations, for example in thickening sauces and creating gels. Unlike gelatin you can heat/cook your sauce or gel without it melting and becoming a liquid. Used as an and to increase viscosity, sodium alginate helps suspend particles within a solution, for example vanilla bean in a panna cotta will remain mixed throughout the mixture instead of sinking to the base of the finished product.