Food Chemistry
Emulsion
A dispersion of one immiscible liquid in another, stabilised by an emulsifier. Oil-in-water as in milk and mayonnaise, or water-in-oil as in butter and margarine.
Milk, mayonnaise, butter and salad dressings are everyday examples — mixtures of oil and water that would otherwise separate.
Related terms
Emulsifier
Food ChemistryA surface-active molecule with hydrophilic and lipophilic regions that lowers interfacial tension and stabilises an emulsion.
HLB
Food ChemistryA number from 0 to 20 describing an emulsifier's relative affinity for water and oil.
Homogenisation
Food EngineeringForcing a liquid at high pressure through a narrow valve to break dispersed droplets into smaller ones, stabilising the emulsion.
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