Emulsifiers

[Birchy]

Are emulsifiers added to stuff to stabilise them? Thus preventing the different ingredients of like jam, pickles etc. from separating? Or do emulsifiers have other properties?

[rekstout]

I thought emulsifiers were used to thicken things - especially sauces, though I guess one reason to thicken a foodstuff would be to prevent a mixture from separating under gravity due to differing densities of the ingredients.

[Hamish]

Emulsifiers allow two materials wich wouldn't normally mixt to mix (and form an emulsion). ie fat and water in a milkshake, water and cream in icecream. There are all sorts of emulsifier, many are natrually occouring and are used in cooking without a tought (ever added flour to gravy). The process can be used to ticken things too ad rekstout points out (as in the milk shake and the gravey). Emulsion paint works off similar principles, insoluble polymer suspeneded (to form an emulsion) in a water based liquid. Hope this helps! Hamish

[Gef]

Excellent answer from Hamish. Two more examples are using mustard powder to stop salad dressing (oil/vinegar) separating and soap which emulsifies grease (oil) and water.