Description
Food emulsifiers have a wide range of functions. The most obvious is to assist stabilization and formation of emulsions by the reduction of surface tension at the oil–water interface, to alter the functional properties of other food components and third function is to modify the crystallization of fat. Emulsions are classified based on the nature of the emulsifier or the structure of the system. The range of droplets size for each type of emulsion is quite arbitrary. Macro emulsions are the most common form of emulsions used in food industries than nano- and micro-emulsions. Nanoemulsions become increasingly important in food industry as an innovative approach in carrying functional agents.
Engineering Aspects of Food Emulsification and Homogenization reviews the types of emulsions, emulsion formation and its applications in food industries. This book brings those areas together to provide a comprehensive resource that gives a deeper understanding of emulsification and homogenization in food product development. Application potential of multiple emulsions is also stated to be very high in food industry. Microencapsulation is of great importance in the flavoring and food industries, since in this technique, flavors in the liquid form are entrapped in a carrier matrix in order to obtain a dry flavor powder, which is easy to handle. The advantages of this technology are not only in providing protection against degradative reactions and prevention of flavor loss, but also promoting the flavor controlled release during food processing and storage.
Combination of protein and polysaccharide has been commonly used as emulsifier in a wide range of applications such as food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, due to its advantages such as fast adsorption, steric repulsion and viscosity enhancement. The complexes can be formed, when protein and polysaccharide are combined, commonly through electrostatic interaction. Thus, there is an increasing interest in combining proteins and polysaccharides to form electrostatic complexes to stabilize emulsions. Homogenizers are commonly used to produce oil-in-water emulsions that consist of emulsifier-coated oil droplets suspended within an aqueous phase. The functional attributes of emulsions are usually controlled by selecting appropriate ingredients (e.g., surfactants, co-surfactants, oils, solvents, and co-solvents) and processing conditions (e.g., homogenizer type and operating conditions). However, the functional attributes of emulsions can also be tailored after homogenization by manipulating their composition, structure, or physical state.
Describes state-of the-art technology of emulsification and homogenization processes, this book serves as a beneficial guide for students, practitioners as well as academic researchers.
