Food emulsifiers: Surface activity, edibility, manufacture, composition, and application

Abstract

Food emulsifiers are indispensable ingredients in most processed foods containing fats and oils. Terms like surface activity and edibility have a special relevance to emulsifiers and are described. Food emulsifiers may be grouped according to different aspects. In this paper they are described from the viewpoint of their origin, and special attention is given to monoglyceride derivatives, such as lactylated monoglycerides, to glycerol-free fatty acid derivatives, as well as to monodiglycerides and distilled monoglycerides. The mesomorphic behavior of aqueous emulsifier systems is mentioned, and certain production aspects of food emulsifiers, including the distillation of monoglycerides, are given.