Emulsifiers

By Charlotte McCollum Part 1Research and collecting secondary data WHAT does an Emulsifier do Emulsifiers have many purposes. An emulsifier is a chemical that encourages the suspension of one liquid in another so that they form one homogenous substance. They are often used as food additives. Emulsifiers are used to help to retain the physical qualities of products. Emulsifiers make water and oil mix together evenly. Stabilisers give products good texture and mouthfeel. They are widely used in the food industry in products such as salad dressings, processed cheese, preserves, margarine, yoghurt, instant desserts, ice cream, low fat products and others. HYPERLINK http//www.understandingfoodadditives.org/activities/E2.pdf http//www.understandingfoodadditives.org/activities/E2.pdf WHY are emulsifiers added to some foods Emulsifiers are frequently used in many different types of food. Not only do emulsifiers make food more visually appealing, they are used to control the quality and freshness of food too. Emulsifiers are very good at preventing mould from growing on the food which would happen if the oil and fat were not separated. Some foods which typically use emulsifiers are Mayonnaise, Bread, Margarine/low fat spreads ice-cream, cakes, cereals and Biscuits. HYPERLINK http//www.understandingfoodadditives.org/pages/ (emulifier http//www.understandingfoodadditives.org/pages/ (emulifier image) HYPERLINK http//www.mycrohnsportal.com/images/articles/Mayo_Emulsifier_Example.pngCh2p2-1.htm http//www.mycrohnsportal.com/images/articles/Mayo_Emulsifier_Example.pngCh2p2-1.htm Synthetic and Natural emulsifiers An emulsifier can be an action, like shaking a container of something before using it, or a substance, like a wax. Some natural emulsifiers include the plant waxes Rice Bran, Candelilla, Carnauba, and Jojoba, as well as Xanthan Gum and Quince Seed.Some synthetic emulsifiers