que ous ▁mixture , ▁increase ▁its ▁vis cos ity ▁without ▁substantial ly ▁modifying ▁its ▁other ▁properties , ▁such ▁as ▁taste . ▁They ▁provide ▁body , ▁increase ▁stability , ▁and ▁improve ▁susp ension ▁of ▁added ▁ing red ients . ▁Th ick ening ▁agents ▁are ▁often ▁used ▁as ▁food ▁add it ives ▁and ▁in ▁cos met ics ▁and ▁personal ▁h yg iene ▁products . ▁Some ▁thick ening ▁agents ▁are ▁g elling ▁agents , ▁forming ▁a ▁gel . ▁The ▁agents ▁are ▁materials ▁used ▁to ▁thick en ▁and ▁stabil ize ▁liquid ▁solutions , ▁em uls ions , ▁and ▁susp ensions . ▁They ▁dissol ve ▁in ▁the ▁liquid ▁phase ▁as ▁a ▁col lo id ▁mixture ▁that ▁forms ▁a ▁weak ly ▁coh es ive ▁internal ▁structure . ▁Food ▁thick en ers ▁frequently ▁are ▁based ▁on ▁either ▁pol ys ac char ides ▁( st arch es , ▁veget able ▁g ums , ▁and ▁p ect in ), ▁or ▁prote ins . ▁ ▁Con crete ▁r he ology ▁ ▁Con crete ' s ▁and ▁mort ar ' s ▁work ability ▁is ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁r he ological ▁properties ▁of ▁the ▁fresh ▁c ement ▁paste . ▁The ▁mechanical ▁properties ▁of ▁hard ened ▁concrete ▁increase ▁if ▁less ▁water ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁concrete ▁mix ▁design , ▁however ▁reducing ▁the ▁water - to - cement ▁ratio ▁may ▁decrease ▁the ▁ease ▁of ▁mixing ▁and ▁application . ▁To ▁avoid ▁these ▁und es ired ▁effects , ▁super pl astic izers ▁are ▁typically ▁added ▁to ▁decrease ▁the ▁apparent ▁yield ▁stress ▁and ▁the ▁vis cos ity ▁of ▁the ▁fresh