Emulsifiers

An emulsifier is a chemical compound enabling formation of emulsion as well as assuring its durability. It cumulates on boundary surface of both phases creating emulsion, it decreases superficial tension of that surface, and even increases that surface.

In food production one applies such emulsifiers as:

• natural, such as lecithin, sodium caseinate,
• synthetic, such as fatty acid esters.

Emulsifiers find a wide application in food technology.

In the confectionery industry, emulsifiers are used for producing confectioner's creams and decreasing the stickiness of chocolate mass. They also prevent crystallization of cocoa butter, bindings of lipid and protein fraction of ice creams.

In bakery, emulsifiers facilitate equal fat distribution in the whole dough. As a result one obtains improvement of quality of a product as well as decrease of an amount of applied fat. Emulsifiers also influence on changes of functional features of starch and gluten.

• Palsgaard