What's the mechanism of action of emulsifiers in ice cream?
The mechanism of action of emulsifiers in ice cream:
The role of emulsifiers in ice cream liquid does not depend on its emulsifying properties, but on its ability to form fat/protein complexes. Emulsifiers are conducive to the creation of agglomeration and aggregation of fat globules, and are important for the dryness, fineness of the tissue and anti-shrinkage ability of the ice cream when it is extruded.
The effects of emulsifiers on ice cream mainly include: emulsification, foaming, and improvement of shape retention.
1. Emulsification: make the homogenized fat globules appear in a fine milky state and stabilize them;
2. Foaming effect: improve the foaming and expansion rate of the mixture;
3. Improve shape retention: The emulsifier is concentrated in the bubbles of ice cream, which has the effect of stabilizing and preventing heat conduction. It can increase the heat resistance of ice cream at room temperature, so that it can better maintain its inherent shape when it is stable.
During the condensation process, the moisture of the ice cream mixture turns into fine ice crystals, and the air enters the mixture in the form of small bubbles. The fat in the mixture without emulsifier remains finely dispersed and forms an organized structure, while when it contains emulsifier, fat particles Agglomeration takes place to form a three-dimensional network structure to become the skeleton of ice cream. The ice cream liquid is an oil-in-water emulsion. The emulsifier can reduce the tension of the oil-water interface and form a mechanically strong multi-molecule adsorption film on the two interfaces, so that the dispersed phase particles form a double-electron layer structure to prevent the same species. The particles of the dispersed phase of the charge collide or coalesce to improve the dispersibility of the fat, so that the ice crystals in the product have a fine grain size and a smooth texture. Food thickeners and emulsifiers comprehensively improve the texture of the gel layer in ice cream, and control the stability, adhesion, firmness, melting resistance, deformation, softness, fineness, fragrance retention, lubricity and preservation of ice cream.
