Emulsification process

An emulsion is a mixture of two immiscible liquid phases where one phase is dispersed into another and emulsification is preparation of such a dispersion. An emulsion is a thermodynamically unstable system.

Emulsification is a “process” of making a metastable mixture like water and oil, which eventually separates into two phases in equilibrium.

A number of the emulsion systems are found in nature and human bodies; bile acid acts as an emulsifier to help digestion and absorption of fat by the formation of finely dispersed emulsion droplets, and lipoprotein forms an emulsion to deliver and metabolize fat in the body.

Emulsions are found in different industries such as food, pharmaceutical, agricultural, cosmetics, and petroleum. An emulsion is not contained only water and oil; it may also contain some solid particles and even gas.

A surfactant is a chemical substance that alters interfacial properties by absorbing to the boundary between two immiscible phases. The chemical structure of surfactant consists of hydrophilic and lipophilic groups. The lipophilic group of surfactant molecule tends to move away from the water molecules by so-called “hydrophobic interaction.”

Essentially, there are three types of emulsions which are:
*Water-in-oil (W/O),
*Oil-in-water (O/W), and
*Complex emulsions such as water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W). The complex emulsion also known as a multiple emulsion

Other types of emulsions
*Microemulsions: Microemulsions are systems consisting of water, oil and surfactant, which constitute a single optically isotropic and thermodynamically stable liquid solution.
*Pickering emulsion: The solid particles in the colloidal size may be used as emulsion stabilizers. Such particles are known as pickering emulsion. Pickering emulsions are recently employed in many areas like cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, oil recovery and waste water treatment.

Three theories of emulsion:
*Surface Tension Theory: by lowering of interfacial tension
*Oriented Wedge Theory: mono molecular layers of emulsifying agents are curved around a droplet of the internal phase of the emulsion
*Interfacial Film theory: A film of emulsifying agent prevents the contact and coalescing of the dispersed phase
Emulsification process

Ingredient in soft drink: arabic gum

Arabic or acacia gum is the dried exudates of a various species of the genus Acacia, subfamily Mimosideae and family Leguminosae. The use of gum arabic by man dates back at least 4000 years to the ancient Egypt.

It is complicated mixture of long and short chains of sugars (arabinogalactan oligosaccharides and polysaccharides) and glycoproteins (proteins with sugars attached).

The gum arabic is added to the water phase of the emulsion and after the homogenization process it plays the role of an emulsion stabilizer. Gum arabic is an excellent stabilizer for soft drink emulsions and has been the predominantly preferred stabilizer for soft drinks. Gum arabic is included on Pepsi's ingredient list.

New gum Arabic substitutes made from starches are available for use in soft drinks and may be easier to mix. Gum arabic is an encapsulating agent to protect lipid or liposobluble materials that are sensitive to decomposition and as texturing or filming agent in confectionery.

Ingredient in soft drink: arabic gum

Processed cheese (or process cheese)

Process cheese is made from a mixture of natural cheeses and an emulsifier blended together with controlled heating.

It is prepared by comminuting and mixing with the aid of heat from selected cheddar cheese, although Swiss, Limburger, Brick and others are sometimes used.

The mixture is pasteurized for 3 minutes at 150 °F and salt is added. The careful selection of cheeses, emulsifying salts and processing factors allows making process cheeses of varied textures suitable for many end uses.

The emulsifier added is sodium citrate, disodium phosphate, or other additive that will be effective in binding the high fat content of the natural cheese ingredients with water that is added to the process cheese to produce a more soluble, homogenous, and smooth cheese that can withstand higher heat than natural cheese without coagulating.

Approximately one-third of the cheese produced in the United States is marketed as a pasteurized process cheese. Fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Burger King rely in the consistency in flavor and melting qualities of pasteurized process cheese.

The flavor of process cheese depends largely upon the favor o the cheese used which may be modified by flavoring materials added.

Process cheese sometimes called processed cheese or pasteurized process cheese, is convenient not only for food service, the primary user, but also retail because these cheese are available in regular and reduced-fat varieties, chinks, cubes, spreads, loafs, slices as well as in grated or shredded applications. Process cheese may be used in main dishes, for snacks and cheeseburgers, with cold cuts and salads on grilled or toasted sandwiches in numerous sandwich combinations and in casseroles.
Processed cheese (or process cheese)

Sodium lauryl sulfate as food additive

Functional use of sodium lauryl sulfate in foods including surface tension control agent, thickener, wetting agent, whipping agent, hog/poultry scald agent, and emulsifier.

Sodium lauryl sulfate found in many personal acre products such as soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. It is inexpensive and very effective foamer. These aids are capable of giving the product whipping properties that are comparable to or even better than, then natural untreated product.

Chemicals structure of sodium lauryl sulfate

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a mixture of sodium alkyl sulfates, primarily sodium lauryl sulfate, containing not more than a total of 8% of sedum sulfate and sodium chloride. Formaldehyde may be included as a preservative in concentration of up to 0.1%.

It occurs as small, white or light yellow crystals having a slight, characteristics odor.
Sodium lauryl sulfate as food additive