Surely, many of us like cakes or ice cream products. But we know that there are ingredients that have an important job in making the cake melt and make us addicted. Emulsifier powder does the work. Cake lovers or cake makers must be very familiar with this ingredient. Then how do you choose the right emulsifier? Which is the best between natural and artificial emulsifiers?
Knowing More about the Emulsifier
Usually, water and oil will not mix in these types of emulsions unless there is an emulsifying agent or often called an emulsifier, that can prevent the oil and water from separating. Several types of emulsifiers used can be used as stabilizers or stabilizing agents in food or beverage products. So in short, the definition of an emulsifier is a substance that functions to maintain the stability of an oil and water emulsion.
Emulsifiers are widely used in biscuits, pieces of bread, extruded foods, breakfast cereals, cakes, soft drinks, chewing gum, frozen foods, ice cream, dry potatoes, chocolate coatings, margarine, topping powder, caramel, and other foods. Emulsifier powder is a kind of emulsifier formed in powder.
Natural emulsifiers come from natural kinds of stuff, for example, eggs (both yellow and white egg), gelatin, soya bean, starch, and milk powder. While now many manufacturers produce the artificial emulsifier. This makes people easy to get and apply the thing.
In addition to natural emulsifiers, we also know artificial emulsifiers. It consists of monoglycerides, such as glyceryl monostearate. The stearic acid radical is a nonpolar group, while the remaining part of the molecule, especially the two hydroxyl groups and glycerol, is a polar group.
In the context of baking, the use of emulsifiers has certain benefits. it can shape and improve texture and volume and help reduce or prevent dryness. This is very useful so that the cake remains soft. Other types of emulsifiers, such as glyceryl lactopalmitate, are emulsifiers that are widely used in the manufacture of cakes mixes, such as CMC (carboxyl methylcellulose). This material has advantages as a stabilizer in the manufacture of salad dressings.
There are several advantages to using an emulsifier, especially in food products such as cakes and desserts. The first is reducing the cost. It means we can minimize the use of eggs. Then, the dough remains stable even though it hasn’t been baked in the oven for a long time. The mixing process can be finished in a short time with maximum results. As a result, it makes the cake smoother and fluffy.
Tips Before Purchasing the Emulsifier Powder
The application of emulsion technology is widely in various industries. The food industry is one of the industrial usages of emulsifiers. We can take examples such as in the manufacture of cheese, controlling the flavor, and regulating the physical conditions of products (texture and viscosity).
It may be a little bit hard to find suitable types of emulsifiers based on the need. The active contents inside should be considered. How it performs is also crucial. That’s why looking for a credible manufacturer is the priority. We need to be familiar with artificial or natural emulsifiers. Both natural and synthetic have advantages and disadvantages. Below we summed up several tips before buying we should deal.
- How much amount do we need to put in the application? This is related to the dosage when it would work best. Emulsifier powder could be applied in high or low concentrations; however, it is based on the types and properties.
- If needed, we should ask the supplier about the shear tolerance. The state of the shear property is related to the homogenizer we should add, especially in organic cosmetics. Here, we need to understand the information about alcohol and electrolyte tolerance.
- Consider the process we should employ in its usage. Some emulsifier powders could be melted in an oil phase. Others are better in the water phase.
- The co-emulsifier or any stabilizer type we should add. This is related to the cost we should pay to get the right formulation.
Emulsifier, however, is an important material in some needs. Luckily, it is easier now to get the products since many manufacturers compete to produce as good as a possible emulsifier. There are some types or forms of emulsifiers. These are formed in gels, shortening, and powder with powder is popular and easy to manufacture. Ranging in size of packaging makes it easy to distribute globally.