If you have been through the previous topics of this chapter you must have got enough uses of emulsifying agents in food.
Here are links to previous topics.
The use of food emulsifier began with adding monoglyceride and lecithin to margarine. Originally, these substances were only known as emulsifiers. However, as studies progressed, more functions were found and they began to be used in various fields, such as bread, ice cream and cake. Nowadays, emulsifiers are applied to Japanese foods like tofu and minced fish products.
In mayonnaise, the emulsifier is the phospholipids present in egg yolks – they are such successful emulsifiers that as much as 80% oil can be dispersed in the aqueous phase.
Ice cream is another food that would not exist were it not for emulsifiers. It is both a foam and an emulsion, and its texture results from the ice crystals and unfrozen water it contains. But it’s not just creamy products where emulsifiers are crucial – bread and other baked products, where solid particles are dispersed in an airy foam, are enhanced by emulsifiers.
The emulsifiers that are used commercially come from both natural and synthetic sources. They include:
Lecithins (E322) are mixtures of phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine and are usually extracted from sources such as egg yolk and soybeans. The precise composition of the phospholipids depends on the source. Uses include salad dressings, baked goods and chocolate.
Esters of monoglycerides of fatty acids (E472a-f) are made from natural fatty acids, glycerol and an organic acid such as acetic, citric, lactic or tartaric. The fatty acids are usually from a vegetable source, though animal fats can be used. Products that use them include ice cream, cakes and crisps.
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) are semi-synthetic emulsifiers made from glycerol and natural fatty acids, which can be from either plant or animal sources. They are used in products like bread, cakes and margarine.