Emulsifier structure

Emulsifier structure allows the activity of the surface (surface-active agents) that lowers the surface tension between the air-liquid and liquid-liquid contained in a food system. Its ability to lower the that tension becomes interesting because they have a miracle chemical structure of compounds capable of uniting two different polarity and at the same polarity protect fats from oxidation because it acts as a barrier (barrier) to metals and free radicals.
The ability of emulsifier structure to lowers the tension because it break the hydrogen bonds at the surface through the withdrawal of the hydrophilic heads on the water surface with a hydrophobic tail extends away. Their tail is hydrophobic which extends into the fat globule, while the head facing the water molecule. So, it gives the hydrophilic coat surrounding globule fat to form an emulsion.
The mechanism of emulsion formation begins with the provision of energy to form a new interface in an emulsion system. At first a liquid dispersed by mechanical means into the liquid to another. The amount of work needed to form globule largely determined by the size of its diameter. Just to mention one example, for dispersing 1 ml of olive oil with a diameter of 5 micrometers in 10 m cubic water needs energy of about 274,800 ergs. However, the amount of this energy will be reduced significantly become only 36,000 ergs when using emulsifiers, because emulsifier structure can reduce tension between the surface of 22.9 dyne / cm to 3 dyne / cm.

You might also like:
Emulsifier definition
The types of cocoa butter alternatives
Soybean oil: composition and benefits