Emulsifers
<p >[eh-MUHL-suh-fi-er] </p>
<p>
Generally, any ingredient used to bind together normally <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/noncombinative-2" >noncombinative</a> substances, such as oil and water. Egg yolks contain a natural emulsifier (<a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/lecithin" >lecithin</a>) and are used to thicken and <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/bind" >bind</a> sauces (such as <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/hoochinoo-1" >hollandaise</a>), as well as to bind ingredients in baking. </p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/xanthan-gum" >xanthan gum</a> is a commercial emulsifier used in numerous foods like salad dressings and dairy products. Some commercial <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/emulsifiers" >emulsifiers</a> also inhibit baked goods from going stale.
Read more: <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/emulsifier#ixzz21vqHSrxf" >http://www.answers.com/topic/emulsifier#ixzz21vqHSrxf</a></p>
<p>
An emulsifier (also known as an "emulgent") is a substance that stabilizes an emulsion by increasing its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_kinetics" title="Chemical kinetics" >kinetic stability</a>. One class of emulsifiers is known as "surface active substances", or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant" title="Surfactant" >surfactants</a>.
Examples of food emulsifiers are:</p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_yolk" title="Egg yolk" >Egg yolk</a> - in which the main emulsifying agent is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecithin" title="Lecithin" >lecithin</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p > </p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_seed" title="Mustard seed" >mustard</a> - where a variety of chemicals in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucilage" title="Mucilage" >mucilage</a> surrounding the seed hull act as emulsifiers</li>
</ul>
<p > </p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein" title="Protein" >Proteins</a></li>
<li >Low molecular weight emulsifiers</li>
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_lecithin" title="Soy lecithin" class="mw-redirect" >Soy lecithin</a> is another emulsifier and thickener</li>
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickering_emulsion" title="Pickering emulsion" >Pickering stabilization</a> - uses particles under certain circumstances</li>
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate" title="Sodium stearoyl lactylate" >sodium stearoyl lactylate</a></li>
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DATEM" title="DATEM" >DATEM</a> (Diacetyl Tartaric (Acid) Easter of Monoglyceride) - an emulsifier primarily used in baking</li>
</ul>
<p >
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detergent" title="Detergent" >Detergents</a> are another class of surfactants, and will physically interact with both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_oil" title="Cooking oil" >oil</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water" title="Water" >water</a>, thus stabilizing the interface between the oil and water droplets in suspension. This principle is exploited in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap" title="Soap" >soap</a>, to remove <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_grease" title="Yellow grease" >grease</a> for the purpose of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleaning" title="Cleaning" class="mw-redirect" >cleaning</a>. Many different emulsifiers are used in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacy" title="Pharmacy" >pharmacy</a> to prepare emulsions such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_(pharmaceutical)" title="Cream (pharmaceutical)" >creams</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotion" title="Lotion" >lotions</a>. Common examples include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulsifying_wax" title="Emulsifying wax" >emulsifying wax</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetearyl_alcohol" title="Cetearyl alcohol" class="mw-redirect" >cetearyl alcohol</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysorbate_20" title="Polysorbate 20" >polysorbate 20</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceteareth" title="Ceteareth" >ceteareth 20</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulsifier#cite_note-11" >[12]</a></sup> </p>
<p>
Sometimes the inner phase itself can act as an emulsifier, and the result is a <b>nanoemulsion</b>, where the inner state disperses into "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nano-" title="Nano-" >nano-size</a>" droplets within the outer phase. A well-known example of this phenomenon, the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouzo_effect" title="Ouzo effect" >Ouzo effect</a>", happens when water is poured into a strong alcoholic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anise" title="Anise" >anise</a>-based beverage, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouzo" title="Ouzo" >ouzo</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastis" title="Pastis" >pastis</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arak_(distilled_beverage)" title="Arak (distilled beverage)" class="mw-redirect" >arak</a>, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rak%C4%B1" title="Rakı" >raki</a>. The anisolic compounds, which are soluble in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol" title="Ethanol" >ethanol</a>, then form nano-size droplets and emulsify within the water. The resulting color of the drink is opaque and milky white.
</p>
<h3 >In food</h3>
<p >Oil-in-water emulsions are common in food:</p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crema_(coffee)" title="Crema (coffee)" class="mw-redirect" >Crema</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espresso" title="Espresso" >espresso</a> – coffee oil in water (brewed coffee), unstable emulsion</li>
</ul>
<p > </p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayonnaise" title="Mayonnaise" >Mayonnaise</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollandaise_sauce" title="Hollandaise sauce" >Hollandaise sauce</a> - these are oil-in-water emulsions that are stabilized with egg yolk <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecithin" title="Lecithin" >lecithin</a>, or with other types of food additives, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate" title="Sodium stearoyl lactylate" >sodium stearoyl lactylate</a></li>
</ul>
<p > </p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinaigrette" title="Vinaigrette" >Vinaigrette</a> – an emulsion of vegetable oil in vinegar. If this is prepared using only oil and vinegar (i.e. without an emulsifier), an unstable emulsion results</li>
</ul>
<p > </p>
<ul >
<li ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homogenized_milk" title="Homogenized milk" class="mw-redirect" >Homogenized milk</a> – an emulsion of milk fat in water and milk proteins</li>
</ul>
<p >
</p>